PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland Coordinator-General has approved the A$15-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant being developed by Arrow Energy at Curtis Island.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the decision was important in the progression of the massive project, which would provide a much-needed boost to the state’s economy.

“While Arrow still has some work to do, with financial close and coal seam gas supply components to be finalised, it certainly reinforces Curtis Island and Gladstone as the Pacific LNG hub,” he said.

He added that, should Arrow proceed with the project, it would be the fourth LNG plant on Curtis Island, with peak employment of about 3 500 construction jobs and about 450 operational jobs for Stage 1, increasing to 600 operational jobs once Stage 2 was completed.

The proposed facility would produce up to 18-million tonnes of LNG a year through a staged development, with up to four trains being developed on the Curtis Island site.

Seeney said the Coordinator-General’s assessment also covered the pipeline tunnel from the mainland to Curtis Island and marine logistics facilities on Curtis Island and the mainland.

He pointed out that, since the declaration as a coordinated project in June 2009, as the Shell Australia LNG project, Arrow had undertaken a comprehensive set of marine and land studies, which had been thoroughly and professionally assessed by state and local government advisory agencies.

“Key issues as part of the Coordinator-General’s evaluation include the management of hazardous operations, project transport, including the transportation of workers to Curtis Island, [and] impacts on coastal water quality and marine flora and fauna,” the Minister said.

“The Coordinator-General also considered potential social impacts relating to increased costs for housing and demand for existing social services and has set a comprehensive range of strict construction and operating conditions on the project.”

Seeney said it would now be up to the federal government to consider potential impacts to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and other matters of national environmental significance and make its decision within the statutory 30 business days.