MELBOURNE�US utility Duke Energy Corp. is planning to build a $250 million (Aus.) natural gas pipeline between western Victoria and South Australia.
The plans include acquiring the gas from BHP Petroleum Pty. Ltd.�s yet-to-be-developed Minerva field, about 15 km off the coast near Port Campbell in western Victoria, along with other smaller Victorian fields in the Otway Basin.
The company said the line would supply a minimum demand of 30 PJ/year. Capacity more likely would be up to 60 PJ/year. Completion would be in 2003.
Duke is seeking markets in South Australia. It is also considering constructing a gas-fired power plant in Adelaide to take some of the supply.
Duke was one of five gas utilities that South Australia short-listed in 2000 to propose pipelines. However, the company said the tender process is not exclusive and it could build the line without government support.
Duke has built a gas trunkline between Bass Strait in eastern Victoria and Sydney in New South Wales. It has proposed to build another line under Bass Strait to supply gas to Tasmania.