Santos Ltd. has acquired Hunter Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd., which owns an approved route for a buried gas pipeline from Wallumbilla in southeast Queensland to Newcastle in coastal New South Wales.
The underground route passes near Santos’ proposed Narrabri coal seam gas project in New South Wales. Santos plans to work with infrastructure developers and owners to construct the pipeline to deliver Narrabri gas to Australia’s east coast markets in the shortest timeframe possible.
The pipeline will also be designed to transport hydrogen.
The acquisition provides a pathway for the delivery of gas from Narrabri to the domestic market, via a short connection to the main pipeline which is currently in the planning phase, Santos said.
Appraisal drilling at Narrabri is planned for later this year, pending native title and environmental management plan approvals. Once fully operational, Narrabri has the potential to deliver more than half New South Wales’ gas demand.
The Hunter Gas Pipeline (HGP) has planning approval and, when constructed, will connect the Wallumbilla gas supply hub to New South Wales, providing a second route from Queensland to southern Australian markets.
Pipeline construction is expected to begin early 2024.
