The blazing sun, barren land that stretches toward the horizon and sporadic sand storms mean this is a desert where only a handful of heat-tolerant species can survive.

A cluster of one-story steel buildings is one of only a few man-made features in sight. There, dozens of engineers eat, sleep and study to explore the massive amount of natural resources beneath the ground.

In this sprawling, lifeless territory, nearly 90 minutes from Brisbane by plane, Korea’s state-run gas supplier is developing gas wells it hopes will ensure the country’s stable supply for the next two decades.

Nearly 800 gas wells are scattered across 11,200 square kilometers of land, which is slightly bigger than Korea’s Gyeonggi Province, and are being developed in cooperation with Australian gas company Santos.

The Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS), which holds a 15 percent stake in the GLNG project, says up to 7.8 million tons of gas will be developed annually and 3.5 million tons will be shipped to Korea. MORE