The Carroll Labor Government is securing more gas for Victorian homes and industry.
A production licence has been approved to restart the Patricia-Baleen gas fields off Victoria's Gippsland coast.
We know Victoria's gas supplies are declining. That's why Labor is focused on securing the supply we do have and backing new sources of gas.
The licence has been granted to Cooper Energy, a subsidiary of Amplitude Energy.
The project is expected to deliver up to 15 petajoules of gas over its lifetime – equivalent to seven per cent of all gas used in Victoria last year.
The gas will flow through the existing Orbost Gas Plant and Patricia-Baleen pipeline, making use of existing infrastructure to bring more gas into the market.
The Patricia-Baleen licence was granted through the Commonwealth-Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority.
Cooper Energy expects production to run from 2028 to 2035.
It comes just a week after Labor approved the $1 billion Golden Beach Gas Project in Gippsland.
Golden Beach will boost Victoria's gas storage capacity by around 70 per cent.
This is all part of Labor’s plan to preserve limited gas supplies.
Victoria’s investment in renewables is helping to keep wholesale electricity prices down.
Jess Wilson’s Liberal One Nation Coalition wants to rip up renewables – leaving Victorian households facing higher bills and a greater risk of blackouts.
It's a fact that our gas supplies are declining – we're focused on securing the supply we do have.
Jess Wilson’s plan to rely solely on gas falls apart the moment you ask where the supply is coming from.
If their plan relies on opening Victoria to fracking, they need to come clean with Victorians.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy and Resources Jaclyn Symes
“We know gas supplies are declining. That's why we're securing the gas we have and backing new projects to bring down bills.”
“Last week we approved Golden Beach. Now we're backing Patricia-Baleen. We're getting on with securing the gas Victorian homes and industry need.”
“Ripping up renewables won't put more gas in the ground. Jess Wilson's energy plan only stacks up if she's opening up Victorian farmland to fracking. She needs to come clean.”