EPA to review Wheatstone LNG’s emissions condition

Australia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has on January 2, received a Minister request to investigate the adequacy of condition monitoring GHG emissions from Chevron’s Wheatstone LNG project. 

The Australian minister for environment Stephen Dawson, requested the EPA to inquire into changing implementation conditions to ensure the project meets current environmental standards.

The EPA will carry out the inquiry into the existing air quality condition placed on the project and prepare a report for the minister including recommendations whether the conditions required changing.

Business News Western Australia cites Chevron’s spokesperson as saying the company is disappointed in the government’s request to the EPA as the Wheatstone LNG project is regulated by the Australian government’s Safeguard Mechanism.

The spokesperson noted that the project lokated 12 km south-west of Onslow already has technology in place to reduce emissions by approximately 700,000 tons per year.

The company is additionally working on increasing the natural gas supply to the Australian and international energy markets in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as natural gas is widely recognized as a cleaner-burning energy source, the spokesperson said.