PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Australian government has granted approval to the Mahalo gas project, near Gladstone, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC).
Project developer Comet Ridge on Wednesday said that the EPBC approval was the first of two environmental steps required for the project to move towards production, with the second step currently being assessed by the Queensland government.
Comet Ridge MD Tor McCaul said that while the company’s primary focus was on its 100%-held Mahalo North block, he was pleased to receive the first major approval along the Mahalo project’s development pathway.
The Mahalo project is 40% held by Comet Ridge, with major Santos holding a 30% share and Australian Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas (APLNG) holding the remaining 30%.
APLNG is working on formalising a development and startup scope for the Mahalo asset, and is progressing engineering studies in gas and water handling facilities, as well as progressing field layout.
McCaul said on Wednesday that it was a positive outcome for Comet Ridge to be progressing both the Mahalo and Mahalo North projects at a time when the federal government was focusing on natural gas as a logical means to support the east coast power markets.