Bid to ease gas crisis

THE Queensland Government will release another 400sq km of the Surat Basin for domestic gas exploration in a bid to ease the east coast gas crisis.

It’s the second parcel released for domestic-only gas production as State and Federal governments try to deal with a shortage caused by the huge demand for gas from the Curtis Island LNG projects.

The Palaszczuk Government’s first domestic-only release in February was swamped with interest despite claims that domestic reserves would never work. A successful tenderer will be announced soon.

Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said the initiative showed Queensland was ahead of the pack on gas supply policy.