Seeking Clarity On Gas Supplies  

The recent explosion at Apache Energy's Varanus Island plant off WA has made for a sudden realisation of just how dependent on gas supplies the state is. The Australian reports that the WA Premier is seeking clarity on energy supply, as the local press complains about interruptions to business activities and the mining industry wonders how its energy needs will be met.

THE West Australian government wants further clarity from industry and business on its energy demands. Twenty mining and energy sector executives met in Perth yesterday to discuss strategies to deal with the 30 per cent cut to the state's energy supply resulting from a fire at Apache Energy's Varanus Island facility on Tuesday. Apache has indicated it may be months before a limited supply could be returned.

WA Premier Alan Carpenter today said there needed to be more clarity on the demand for energy, particularly gas. “From industry and business we need to know how much demand there is going to be and how much opportunity there is to switch from gas to other fuels,” Mr Carpenter told reporters. “On the supply side, the oil companies know that they can source additional diesel, for example, but they want to know what the demand is going to be, over what period of time, so they cam make forward bookings of tankers.'”

The premier said some companies could not switch to other fuels because they used gas as part of their basic process, such as for burners, kilns and some laundry facilities. “So what we need is the information that will allow us to determine whether or not we can switch, free up some gas fired electricity, so that gas can be made available to people who need gas for their process,” he said.