Oz Mahalo Gas Project Gets Environmental Okay

Australian gas explorer Comet Ridge’s Mahalo gas project in Queensland has been granted approval under the Commonwealth government environment protection and biodiversity conservation act, it said on May 26 in a statement.

This is the first of two environmental steps required for the project to move forward to production, with the second step currently being assessed by the Queensland state government department of environment and science,” the company said.

Subject to the Mahalo gas project meeting all state environmental regulatory requirements, the approval is expected over the coming months, Comet Ridge said. The Mahalo gas project is held 40% by Comet Ridge, 30% by Santos and 30% by APLNG (a joint venture comprising Origin Energy, ConocoPhillips and Sinopec).

Comet Ridge manager director McCaul said that it was very positive for the company to be progressing both the Mahalo North gas project and the Mahalo gas project at a time when the federal government was focusing on natural gas as a logical means of greater support for east coast power markets, and also for east coast industry.