QUEENSLAND GAS SIGNS $14M TELCO DEAL

QGC is ramping up its LNG investment in the state’s south after signing a $14.4 million communications infrastructure deal.

The British Gas-owned resources company has commissioned Motorola Solutions to build the radio network, which will link its 28 Southern Queensland LNG sites with state of the art communications technology.

Motorola Solutions Australia managing director Gary Starr, says the project is ‘critical’ for the safety of QGC employees during the significant LNG operations.

The telco giant will provide a microwave system linking the central processing plant in the gas fields and ‘Tetra’ two-way receiver systems at the base station at each of each central processing plant, QGC’s
Chinchilla office and corporate office in Brisbane.

“Availability and safety go hand-in-hand in the development of a radio network for any major infrastructure project, particularly when the project sites are often located in remote and potentially hazardous environments,” says Starr.

The project will roll out more than 3000 radio handsets, vehicle terminals with GPS tracking, hand-held terminals, desk terminals, a dispatcher console, voice recorder and battery charger.

A spokesperson for QGC told Brisbane Business News the company is 'on track' for first LNG exports from the Curtis Island project in 2014.

"“The Motorola Solutions contract is one of many we will award as we invest US$15 billion in developing the Queensland Curtis LNG Project over the next four years," he says.

“We have made good progress since we announced in October that we would proceed with the project.

“In Gladstone we have established a project office and important mainland facilities to support works for construction of the LNG plant on Curtis Island. Activity in the gas field around Chinchilla and Miles is ramping up after the recent award of a $136 million early works contract to Thiess. For the pipeline network, staff have been mobilised and key construction and supply contracts are in place."

The massive resources project involves expanding exploration and development in southern and central Queensland, and transporting gas through a 540km underground pipeline network to Curtis Island near Gladstone where it will be liquefied.

QGC managing director Catherine Tanna (pictured) says the commitment is the largest ever undertaken by British Gas.

“We estimate that the project will increase economic activity in Queensland by $32 billion over the project’s first decade, or $2.6 billion a year,” she says.

“Over the next four years, we will build the world’s first liquefied natural gas plan to use coal seam gas as a feedstock.”