Up to 600 workers will be involved in constructing the pipeline.(Supplied: APA)
Construction has started on a 580-kilometre, $460 million pipeline in Western Australia that will take natural gas from the Perth basin out to resources projects in the state's Goldfields.
The Northern Goldfields Interconnectpipeline will form a 2,690kmgas pipeline network in WA and significantly increase the volume of gas available inland.
Infrastructure company APA Group has started building the line about 50 kilometres east of Geraldton, at the intersection of the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline.
Over the coming months it will use up to 600 workers to construct the 30-centimetre diameter pipeline west to the Goldfields gaspipeline south of Leinster.
The project hasbeen delayed due to governmentapprovals, but APA general manager of infrastructure planning and approvalsGerard Cogganhoped the project would be completed in March.
It is a logistically challenging project but it is something that APA and our principal contractor has done before, he said.
We've spent a couple of years planning this project, so we are looking forward to executing the project … and delivering gas to the Goldfields region.
He said the gas would help to further stimulate economic development in the eastern Goldfields region and supporta range of new projects.
That will support more employment in the region and the WA government has been very supportive of that project, MrCoggan said.
Many of the conversations we are having with potential customers are around how they de-carbonise their energy. We see gas as playing a key role in that.
Mr Coggan said APA had also created relationship agreements with traditional owner groups along the pipeline to create pathways for business and employment opportunities.
As part of construction, theYalgoo to Mount Magnet road would be closed for 15-minute intervals once per day from May 30to June 6.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-27/gas-pipeline-in-outback-wa-goldfields/101101812
