Queensland wants to ‘move every mountain possible’ for second refinery

Queensland is in discussions with proponents to build a second fuel refinery in the state to service potential new oil reserves from the Taroom Trough, according to Premier David Crisafulli.

The state leader told reporters on Friday morning that multiple sites were being considered in the Gladstone region because “through this crisis, I’m determined to make sure there is an opportunity for sovereign capability in this state”.

He reiterated his calls for the Albanese government to grant a national interest exemption for the oil exploration under its Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act for the Taroom Trough project, about 300 kilometres west of Brisbane.

Crisafulli also repeated calls for the federal government to implement a fuel supply dashboard, so industry and citizens could have further insight into what the months ahead might look like.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, also the State Development minister, said he had directed the state’s development agency, Economic Development Queensland, as well as the Coordinator-General to “move every mountain possible” for the companies in talks about a new refinery.

“To get the approvals fast-tracked, find the land and get these refineries built,” Bleijie said, adding such talks were also relating to other areas beyond Gladstone.

Crisafulli said considerations about how any oil out of the much-touted Taroom Trough would make its way to the existing refinery in Brisbane – one of only two in the country alongside another in Geelong – or any future site, was yet to be worked out.

Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has dismissed the request to fast-track approvals for the prospective oil field through the EPBC laws on the basis the national exceptions were not available for fossil fuels.

He had said the Albanese government was willing to consider ways for the approvals to be streamlined but was also critical of the Crisafulli government’s approach to advance the Taroom Trough project.

“One of the key ways we can speed up approvals is for state governments to sign bilateral agreements with us to let approvals happen simultaneously,” Watt told this masthead on Monday.

“So far, David Crisafulli is yet to even come to the table on a bilateral agreement with us.

“We are still awaiting details from the Queensland government about their Taroom proposal.

“Queenslanders would be better off if the Queensland government worked with us, through the reforms we have established to speed up approvals, instead of simply seeking headlines.”

Major energy company Shell has begun producing 200 barrels a day of oil capable of domestic use from the Taroom Trough.

Experts say full-scale production from the enormous pool of oil would be costly and complex, given the resource sits below rock between three and four kilometres underground and would be accessed by horizontal drilling and fracking.

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