Anna Bligh backflip on coal seam gas policy ,,,

14 November 2009

The Queensland government has decided against declaring that a set percentage of the natural gas to be produced in the state must be dedicated for domestic use, deciding instead that whole gasfields are likely to be reserved for such usage.

Western Australia has reserved 10 per cent of the liquid natural gas output of the North West Shelf for domestic use, and the Bligh government in Queensland caused some drama in the industry when it proposed that 20 per cent of output be reserved for domestic use.

However, Queensland has instead decided to set aside some specified future gasfields for domestic supply if needed, instead of requiring a percentage of gas from all fields to go to domestic supply.

The policy would not apply to gasfields already owned by gas suppliers, and would work by requiring the proposed gas commissioner to specify that certain gasfields could only be used for domestic use.

See - The Australian - Bligh changes tack on coal seam gas policy.