The NT government's assessment of the pipeline management plan included the environmental management plan, which means Jemena now has all environmental approvals locked in having already gained them from the Queensland and federal governments.

 

The NT EPA made eight recommendations as part PMP and associated EMP for the NT section of the project. 

 

Jemena has engaged Tennant Creek-based excavation and construction firm Phillips Earthmoving to conduct initial land clearing activities as part of building the compressor station north of Tennant Creek.

 

Jemena said this morning that it expects to name a construction partner for the Queensland portion of the NGP "shortly", followed by one for the NT portion after it earlier ditched McConnell Dowell  after electing to begin construction in the Sunshine State rather than the Red Centre.

 

"Following the project's resequencing in early March, we now have additional time to consider and appoint a construction partner in the NT and anticipate providing further advice on this process over the coming months," Jemena project director Jonathan Spink said.

 

He added that Jemena was also "well progressed" on a feasibility assessment to expand and extend the NGP to the Wallumbilla gas hub.

 

He said Jemena would also be able to quickly scale up the NGP to deliver up to or beyond 700 terajoules of gas per day to the east coast, depending on demand.

 

"Once it's built, Jemena will be able to easily increase the capacity of the NGP by either looping the pipeline or adding additional compression to it," he said. 

 

"This can be done much more efficiently and quickly than constructing a new pipeline, with the viability of the pipeline route having already been tested and cleared. 

 

"For these reasons the NGP continues to be the cheapest and most direct route to deliver gas to where it is needed most and is the sensible choice in responding to the east-coast gas crunch."

 

Jemena also announced this morning that 45 trainees would soon graduate from its Project Ready Training Program in Queensland and the NT, who will transition into roles on the project.

 

The pipeliner said that more than 900 jobs would be generated during the NGP's construction phase.

 

"In addition to the Project Ready Training Program, members of the local community who traditionally experience barriers to employment are also contributing to the NGP as part of the Tennant Creek Social Employment Project," Spink said.

 

Local Tennant Creek business, Remote Concrete NT, is delivering the social employment project, which will employ about 10 members of the community to deliver roughly 50,000 timber pipe skids and 90,000 sand and sawdust bags to the NGP.   

 

Jemena's Project Ready Training Program is being delivered by Myuma in Queensland and GTNT in Tennant Creek. 

 

NT Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, former Territory cricketer Ken Vowles, said the NGP would help underpin that and drive development in the Barkly region.