PERTH (miningweekly.com) – US energy major Chevron will increase the footprint of its Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) project by about 10%, after the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) gave its blessing to a 32 ha increase in the project, located on Barrow Island.

EPA chairperson Paul Vogel said this week that the proposal was assessed to determine if the existing conditions on the development could be applied to the revised footprint.

“The EPA’s assessment was an opportunity to re-examine the established management plans and the measures the proponent has taken to avoid, minimise and rectify impacts to flora, vegetation and fauna, including selecting a site that avoided Boodie warrens and raptor nests,” Vogel said.

"The EPA concluded that the conditions set out in the original approval are effective in managing impacts and should be implemented for the additional development."

However, Vogel noted that the EPA also recommended an additional condition to offset the significant residual impacts of clearing 32 ha of a Class A Nature Reserve, including habitat for specially protected fauna.

The EPA has recommended the proponent offset the impact to the area by extending the established threatened species translocation and reintroduction programme for a further two years.

The programme would be extended from 12 years to 14 years.

“This offset represents a 10% increase in the contribution, which is equal to the approximately 10% increase in the project footprint from 300 ha to 332 ha.”

Vogel said the proponent had also committed to rehabilitate land within the development envelope when it was no longer required to support construction and operation of the Gorgon gas development.

The price tag for the Gorgon LNG project increased by some $2-billion in December last year, to $54-billion, with the project expected to produce its first LNG in mid-2015.

The Gorgon project includes the construction of a three-train 15.6-million-tonne-a-year LNG plant on Barrow Island with the capacity to supply 275-million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas to the Western Australian market.

The EPA’s report to the Minister for Environment was now open for a two-week public appeal period, closing January 20.