LOCAL coal miners in Darwin claim a $24bn liquidised natural gas (LNG) plant will not have much impact on Western Australia’s coal industry.
Japanese energy company, Impex, had originally planned to build the plant north of Broome in WA, to process gas shipped from its Browse Basin gas field.
But environmentalists seeking to protect the Kimberley coast put a brake on negotiations, prompting Darwin to lobby the project.
Local coal managers in Western Australia are disappointed the plant will not reach the west, but claim it will not compete with the coal industry because of high transportation costs.
LNG is natural gas that is converted to liquid for easy transport or storage. While it is said to produce less emissions, the technology involves significant production and set-up costs.
The decision has prompted WA coal miners to push for state government to implement a long-term development plan to secure its economic future.
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