No images? Click here November 2022
Hunter Gas Pipeline monthly update report
The Hunter Gas Pipeline Santos acquired the Hunter Gas Pipeline (HGP) Pty Ltd in August 2022. HGP is an approved underground gas pipeline route from Wallumbilla in Queensland to Newcastle in New South Wales. Since acquiring the pipeline, Santos has worked quickly and constructively to progress the next steps of the proposed project, which is needed to secure NSW’s gas supply into the future and help to put downward pressure on gas and electricity prices for households and businesses. Santos’ initial focus is on finalising and constructing the Narrabri to Hexham section of the route. Project status In the last three months, Santos has carried out ecological surveys at more than 100 sites along the Narrabri to Hexham section, that may be Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs). This represents approximately 25 per cent of the total ecological surveys required. These surveys and studies, along with landholder feedback, will help us to finalise the pipeline route in a way that minimises impacts on both landholders and the environment. Our land access team is meeting with landholders to reach voluntary agreements to gain access to properties to conduct non-invasive land survey investigations. We are well advanced in discussions with many landholders and will continue to reach out to landholders in the coming months to provide information on the project, the survey access agreement for consideration and respond to any questions in relation to the project and proposed survey activity. These surveys will complement the surveys already completed and will assist in the design and environmental assessment of the potential pipeline alignment. Santos has sent landholders a number of letters in relation to the project and proposed surveys. In instances where landholder contact details are outdated, have changed or where we do not have a contact phone number, our team will visit the property to provide relevant project information, contact details and arrange a suitable time to discuss the project further. The team will respect the wishes of all landholders and comply with any land access requirements such as biosecurity controls. Where are we up to? Santos continues to consult closely with landholders, councils representing the broader communities, and all other stakeholders. Authority to Survey The NSW Government has closed its consultation in relation to an Authority to Survey (ATS) application. Santos wants to build positive long-term relationships with all landholders along the proposed pipeline corridor. We hope to reach voluntary access agreements with all landholders and we will only use an approved ATS in exceptional circumstances. We have identified several properties where we do not require access as part of the ATS applications. These include properties located along the Rutherford lateral and on Kooragang Island. Santos has confirmed it will not build these sections of pipeline and therefore the ATS application for these areas has been withdrawn. While the ATS application is under consideration by the NSW Government, we will continue to work with landholders to reach voluntary agreements wherever possible. Community Engagement In September, Santos hosted seven drop-in community information sessions across all local government areas in the Narrabri to Hexham section of the project. We have also engaged with many landholders directly and met with a wide range of community, government and industry stakeholders. The Santos team are holding another round of community drop-in sessions in November. Information about these sessions can be viewed here Narrabri Lateral Pipeline To connect the Narrabri Gas Project (NGP) to the HGP, Santos is finalising plans for the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline. The proposed pipeline will provide the ‘missing link’ to allow for the transmission of natural gas to the existing NSW natural gas transmission network near Newcastle. The project will extend for about 50-60 kilometres from the approved NGP gas processing facility at Leewood to the HGP. The final length of the pipeline will be dependent on the selection of the alignment. The pipeline will be primarily located underground, with associated aboveground infrastructure including isolation valves, meters, and regulators. Santos is committed to minimising the impact on communities, landowners, and the environment. Santos has commenced consultation with directly affected landholders and councils representing the broader communities and encourages landholders to engage with us so that we can understand their feedback and insights about the project. The project will require approval by the NSW Government. Landholder feedback Landholders are uniquely placed to provide information regarding the features of their property. Santos welcomes feedback regarding the proposed alignment and any features or constraints that need to be considered during this project planning and assessment phase. We strongly encourage landholders to engage with us during the upcoming survey process so that we are able to understand any specific concerns and address these wherever practical in finalising the alignment and construction methodology. Hunter Gas Pipeline website The HGP website contains information about the project including details around insurance, biosecurity as well as an interactive map with details of the proposed route and survey areas. A detailed FAQ has also been uploaded to the website. It can be viewed here |