Major energy infrastructure company, APA Group will be supporting thousands of jobs by investing $460 million into building a new gas line in Western Australia.

The project will connect emerging gas fields in the Perth Basin to the Goldfields, doubling the capacity to the Goldfields region.

The Northern Goldfields Interconnect (NGI) project will deliver 580 kilometres of 12-inch pipeline to create an interconnected WA Gas Grid.

The APA’s Goldfields Gas Pipeline (GGP) will be interconnected with the Northern Goldfields Interconnect and the Eastern Goldfields network.

Once fully interconnected, the APA Gas Pipeline System will span 2,690 kilometres from west to east and north to south.

Western Australia’s Premier, Mark McGowan showed his support for the project by announcing up to 500 local jobs will be created during construction.

“This is a significant announcement for Western Australia and yet another sign that confidence is returning to the State’s economy, as we continue our recovery from COVID-19.

“I congratulate APA Group on its investment into this important project, which is expected to create 500 WA jobs throughout construction.

“The Northern Goldfields Interconnect project is likely to stimulate significant economic development along its route in the Mid-West and throughout the Goldfields region,” the Premier said.

APA’s CEO and Managing Director, Rob Wheals explained how the NGI is the most innovative solution to meet Western Australia’s gas needs.

“By connecting existing pipelines, our investment decision to build the NGI will not only add capacity to the system but will also increase gas supply options for customers. This will open up new regions for development, supporting thousands of jobs both during and post-construction.

“Our investment in the NGI will help stimulate significant economic development in Western Australia and has the potential to unlock hundreds of millions of dollars of investment in the Goldfields region, which is rich in gold, potash and battery minerals such as vanadium, nickel and rare earths.”

“The NGI is expected to be supported with an initial 25% of capacity identified subject to project commencement and we have identified significant additional demand that we believe will crystallise with APA’s commitment to the project.

“The NGI solution is the optimal, most innovative and cost-effective solution to meet the needs of this region and APA is proud to support the growth of our customers and the state,” Mr Wheals said.

The Northern Goldfields Interconnect is expected to be completed and fully operational by mid-2022.

Source: Media Statement