QGC
Encyclopedia
QGC Pty Limited is part of the international BG Group
which was created in 1996. QGC is one of the largest of several Australian coalbed methane
companies developing methane
reserves within the Bowen
and Surat Basin
s of Queensland
. The company has an estimated value of around A$13 billion. The BG Group chairman is currently Sir Robert Wilson KCMG who was appointed in January 2004. Catherine Tanna is managing director for Australian operations and leader of the management team representing QGC.
BG Group acquired Queensland Gas Company in November 2008.
on Curtis Island
off the coast of Gladstone
in Central Queensland
. The company is building a 540 kilometres (335.5 mi), 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) diameter pipeline from Miles
to Gladstone, making it the longest buried pipeline of its type in Australia. Work has been delayed after QGC was found to have contravened state environmental laws.
About 20% of Queensland’s natural gas was produced by QGC in 2009.
The company has a gas plant called Kenya, which is located near Tara, Queensland
. Three coal seam gas fields Lauren, Codie, and Kate are associated with the Kenya plant. Leakage testing conducted in April and May 2010 found more than half of the wells in these gas fields were leaking extremely low level concentrations of methane.
the Australian environmentalist and founder of Australia Zoo
, was arrested after protesting against QGC and refusing to obey an order from police to move on. This was part of a long running protest by Tara
protestors to disrupt the gas infrastructure being forced on them without their consent.
ABC
's Four Corners current affairs program did several investigative reports on what has been described as the great Australian land grab and the environmental dangers of coal seam gas.
BG Group
BG Group plc is a global oil and gas company headquartered in Reading, United Kingdom. It has operations in 25 countries across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America and produces around 680,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. It has a major Liquefied Natural Gas ...
which was created in 1996. QGC is one of the largest of several Australian coalbed methane
Coalbed methane
Coalbed methane or Coal Bed Methane, coalbed gas or coal mine methane is a form of natural gas extracted from coal beds. In recent decades it has become an important source of energy in United States, Canada, and other countries...
companies developing methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
reserves within the Bowen
Bowen Basin
The Bowen Basin contains the largest coal reserves in Australia. This major coal producing region contains one of the world's largest deposits of bituminous coal. The Basin contains much of the known Permian coal resources in Queensland including virtually all of the known mineable prime coking coal...
and Surat Basin
Surat Basin
The Surat Basin is a part of the Great Artesian Basin of Australia. The Surat Basin extends across an area of 270,000 square kilometres and the southern third of the basin occupies a large part of northern New South Wales, the remainder is in Queensland. It comprises Jurassic through to Cretaceous...
s of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. The company has an estimated value of around A$13 billion. The BG Group chairman is currently Sir Robert Wilson KCMG who was appointed in January 2004. Catherine Tanna is managing director for Australian operations and leader of the management team representing QGC.
BG Group acquired Queensland Gas Company in November 2008.
Operations
Coal seam gas extraction within the Surat and Bowen Basins of Queensland, Australia forms the basis of the companies main operations. QGC is constructing a coalbed methane liquefaction plantLNG train
An LNG train is the term used to describe the liquefaction and purification facilities in a liquefied natural gas plant.In order to make it practical and commercially viable to transport natural gas from one country to another, its volume has to be greatly reduced...
on Curtis Island
Curtis Island National Park
Curtis Island is an island that contains Curtis Island National Park. It is in Queensland, Australia, 474 km northwest of Brisbane and 40 kilometres southeast of Rockhampton....
off the coast of Gladstone
Gladstone, Queensland
- Education :Gladstone has several primary schools, three high schools, and one university campus, Central Queensland University. It is also home to CQIT Gladstone Campus.- Recreation :...
in Central Queensland
Central Queensland
Central Queensland is an ambiguous geographical division of Queensland that centres on the eastern coast, around the Tropic of Capricorn. Its major regional centre is Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast and the area extends west to the Central Highlands at Emerald, north to the Mackay Regional...
. The company is building a 540 kilometres (335.5 mi), 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) diameter pipeline from Miles
Miles, Queensland
Miles is a small town in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Miles had a population of 1,164.The town is situated on the Warrego Highway, 340 kilometres west of Brisbane, the state capital. Formerly known as Dogwood Crossing, the town is situated on Dogwood Creek, named by German explorer...
to Gladstone, making it the longest buried pipeline of its type in Australia. Work has been delayed after QGC was found to have contravened state environmental laws.
About 20% of Queensland’s natural gas was produced by QGC in 2009.
The company has a gas plant called Kenya, which is located near Tara, Queensland
Tara, Queensland
Tara is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, located 300 kilometres south west of the state capital, Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Tara had a population of 819...
. Three coal seam gas fields Lauren, Codie, and Kate are associated with the Kenya plant. Leakage testing conducted in April and May 2010 found more than half of the wells in these gas fields were leaking extremely low level concentrations of methane.
Environmental protests
In 2011, Bob IrwinBob Irwin
Robert "Bob" Irwin is an Australian naturalist, animal conservationist, and a pioneering herpetologist who is also famous for his conservation and husbandry work with apex predators and reptiles...
the Australian environmentalist and founder of Australia Zoo
Australia Zoo
Australia Zoo is a zoo located in the Australian state of Queensland on the Sunshine Coast near Beerwah/Glass House Mountains. It is a member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association , and is owned by Terri Irwin, the widow of Steve Irwin, whose wildlife documentary series The Crocodile Hunter made the...
, was arrested after protesting against QGC and refusing to obey an order from police to move on. This was part of a long running protest by Tara
Tara, Queensland
Tara is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, located 300 kilometres south west of the state capital, Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Tara had a population of 819...
protestors to disrupt the gas infrastructure being forced on them without their consent.
ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
's Four Corners current affairs program did several investigative reports on what has been described as the great Australian land grab and the environmental dangers of coal seam gas.