The federal government has announced its final approval for the controversial North West Shelf gas extension project in Western Australia.
The approval means the mammoth Woodside Energy facility in the Pilbara will run until 2070.
Environment Minister Murray Watt said he had attached an additional 48 conditions to the extension, including provisions to protect nearby Indigenous rock art.
“In making this decision, I have imposed 48 strict conditions that will avoid and mitigate significant impacts to the Murujuga rock art,” he said.
“The additional conditions I have imposed add to those already set by the Western Australian Government.
“This will ensure that this project will be operated in a way that does not cause unacceptable impacts to the Murujuga rock art, in compliance with federal environmental law, including restricting air emissions which otherwise could have accelerated damage.”
The conditions force Woodside to the facility’s reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 60 per cent by 2030 and 90 per cent by 2061.
The oil and gas producer must also put in place a continuous emissions monitoring system to show compliance with the government’s proposed limits on emissions levels.
The project does not involve building new gas plants but rather extending the operations of the existing Karratha gas facility on the Burrup peninsula.
The extension has already secured approval from the WA government.
Mr Watt’s final nod solidifies Woodside’s position as a major gas exporter into international and domestic energy markets.
It also secures thousands of high-paying jobs for workers in the state and lucrative revenue streams for state and federal coffers.
The company says North West Shelf has paid out more than $40bn in federal tax and royalties over its more than 40-year history and has supplied more than 6,000 petajoules of domestic gas to WA.
More to come
