DOMESTIC GAS SUPPLY
239. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Energy:
I have a supplementary question.
Thanks very much, minister, for that answer. We are talking about a potential gas shortage in two to three years' time,
not in 10 years' time. Can the minister guarantee that the state will
not run short of gas for industry in that period?
Mr W.J.
JOHNSTON replied:
One thing that I am very pleased to
let the member for Cottesloe know is that Chevron has just completed its second
150-terajoule facility, which is the second part of its Gorgon gas supply, and
it is currently marketing that gas. If
anybody needs gas, they should talk to Chevron. Also, the gas supply agreement
that was entered into by the former government means that Synergy is
long on gas, so if people have a need for gas, they should talk to Synergy
because it has gas available today for purchase. I will repeat what I said, and
the member should think about this: Project
Haber is a multibillion-dollar investment based on transforming new supplies of
gas to new export opportunities. Why would anybody invest in that
project if they did not think that they could have a 30-year gas supply? The
Perdaman investment is, again, a multibillion-dollar investment for a 30-year
project. Why would Perdaman invest in that project if it did not think there
would be a 30-year gas supply? Alcoa's most profitable business around
the globe is its Wagerup Alumina Refinery. Why does it continue to invest in
that project if it does not think there is gas supply?