Gas supply in Australia’s east coast will receive a boost after ExxonMobil Australia completed the Longford Gas Conditioning Plant in Victoria on Sunday.
This signals the overall completion of the $5.5 billion Kipper Tuna Turrum project, which, according to the company, is the largest domestic gas project on Australia’s eastern seaboard.
The project will supply 1.6 trillion cubic feet of gas to eastern Australia, “enough to power a city of one million people for 35 years”, the company said.
“This milestone, made possible with our Australian workforce and the support of our joint venture partners, ensures the continued supply of gas to the east coast market from our Gippsland Basin operations,” ExxonMobil Australia chairman, Richard Owen, said.
“The gas conditioning plant helps maintain current gas supply levels from Bass Strait, which has been producing for more than 40 years and providing energy to power the economy.”
Construction of the plant generated 800 jobs, with 90 per cent of the workers from the Gippsland region. It also contributed to Australia’s economy, with labour, materials and equipment accounting for nearly 70 per cent of total project spending.
To date, the project has produced more than half of Australia’s crude oil and hydrocarbon liquids and added over $570 billion to Australia’s GDP.