Home > APLNG seeks massive expansion of polluting gas drilling

APLNG seeks massive expansion of polluting gas drilling

16 April 2021

Scientists have been clear that meeting the Paris Agreement’s climate goals means no expansion of the polluting gas industry.[1] Yet one of Australia’s largest and most polluting gas export projects, Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG), is seeking approval to drill up to 7,700 new gas wells across central and south-west Queensland.[2]

Over its lifetime, APLNG’s polluting gas expansion would enable the release of 223 million tonnes of CO₂, equivalent to 41% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2019.[3] These are emissions our climate simply cannot afford.

In February 2019, a consortium of 25 banks loaned a whopping US$2.75 billion for APLNG to use over the next 7 years. Of this, ANZ, NAB and Westpac loaned a combined US$370 million.

Take action! Tell the banks to stop funding projects and companies expanding the polluting gas industry.

APLNG is owned by three major polluting gas and oil companies; Origin Energy, ConocoPhillips and Sinopec.

Many of these banks have promised to support the Paris Agreement, yet have continued funding projects and companies expanding the fossil fuel industry such as APLNG’s operator Origin Energy.

The creation of new gas fields on the doorstep of some of Queensland’s most beautiful natural parks would threaten local wildlife, including six already endangered ecological communities.

If approved, the up to 7,700 new gas wells would each require 1.5 hectares of clearing, plus pipelines, processing plants, and other infrastructure. Communities already suffering from years of drought would be forced to contend with a corporate giant for water access and a landscape cleared for gas wells.

Take a moment to tell the banks enough is enough—no more funding expansion of the gas industry!

Take action!

Tell banks that agreed to fund APLNG: 1.5°C means no expansion of the polluting gas industry

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I am very concerned that your bank has been a major lender to Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG), which has sought federal government approval for a major expansion of climate-wrecking gas production, proposing to drill up to 7,700 new gas wells across central and south-west Queensland. According to 25 leading Australian scientists, there is “no room for expansion of the gas industry” if global warming is to be kept below 1.5 degrees.[1] Over its lifetime, APLNG’s polluting gas expansion would enable the release of 223 million tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 41% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. At a time when we urgently need to transition away from fossil fuels to avoid runaway global warming, any investment in this climate-wrecking LNG project is a vote of support for the failure of the Paris Agreement. The creation of new gas fields on the doorstep of some of Queensland’s most beautiful natural parks would also threaten local wildlife, including six already endangered ecological communities. If approved, the up to 7,700 new gas wells would each require 1.5 hectares of clearing, plus pipelines, processing plants, and other infrastructure. Communities already suffering from years of drought would be forced to contend with a corporate giant for water access and a landscape cleared for gas wells. I am appalled by your indefensible behaviour. I am asking you to make commitments today that would be the bare minimum required for your company to have any credibility on climate change. I am asking you to confirm you will: – No longer be involved in any part of the APLNG project, – No longer finance projects that expand the scale of the fossil fuel industry, or companies seeking to expand the scale of the industry, and; – Ensure your exposure to LNG and all fossil fuel sectors decreases in a timeframe consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C. Please confirm as soon as possible that you will meet the above three points. [1] https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/australia-s-chief-scientist-is-wrong-on-gas-say-leading-experts-20200824-p55oty.html Sincerely,
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A group of gas companies is pursuing a polluting expansion project that would enable another 223 million tonnes of CO2 from up to 7700 new gas wells.@NAB loaned US$100m to the group in Feb 2019 and plans to update its gas policy later this year. Act now: https://t.co/9DTVI6a9Gv pic.twitter.com/rlmlTHK3bI
— Market Forces (@market_forces) April 16, 2021

[1] Australia’s Chief Scientist is wrong on gas, say leading experts

[2] Gas consortium seeks approval to drill 7,700 wells in Queensland, including near national parks

[3] According to ‘Origin Energy Gas Supply Security Project, MNES Assessment Report (Part 2)’ (p.231), Scope 1 lifetime greenhouse gas emissions from the project are estimated to be 42 Mt CO₂-e, while Scope 2 lifetime emissions are estimated at 128.1 Mt CO₂-e.

Regarding emissions generated by combustion of the gas produced by the project, Market Forces estimated these as follows:

According to ‘Origin Energy Gas Supply Security Project, MNES Assessment Report (Part 1)’ (p.3): “Based on current appraisal data, production from 2P reserves and 2C resources for the Project is expected to be 453.6 PJ and 591.7 PJ respectively.”

This means the project is anticipated to produce 1045.3 petajoules (PJ) of gas, which is equivalent to 1,045,300,000 GJ of gas. According to the Australian Government’s ‘National Greenhouse Accounts Factors (October 2020)’, combusting 1 GJ of gas releases 51.53 kg CO₂-e. Therefore, combusting 1045.3 PJ of gas would release 53,864,309,000 kg CO₂-e or 53 Mt CO₂-e.

42 + 128.1 + 53 = 223 Mt CO₂-e.

Australian Government figures show the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions for the calendar year 2019 were 532.5 Mt CO2-e. The 223 Mt CO2-e that would be enabled by APLNG’s gas expansion represents 41% of this.