WA ditches carbon offset rules

Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 4 : 15-Mar-19

Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority has agreed to shelve new guidelines on emissions-intensive projects following intervention by the state government. Premier Mark McGowan stepped in following meetings with representatives of energy producers. The EPA will undertake further consultation regarding its proposed rules on carbon offsetting for new industrial projects. Oil and gas producers had expressed concern that the proposed guidelines would jeopardise a number of new projects in the state.

CORPORATES
WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, CHEVRON CORPORATION, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Carbon offsets threaten projects

Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 14-Mar-19

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority’s new guidelines on the carbon neutrality of resources projects continue to attract scrutiny. Macquarie Group has warned that the guidelines are likely to result in Woodside Petroleum’s Browse LNG project being delayed, and its modelling suggests that the cost of Browse could blow out by more than $US5bn. Woodside COO Meg O’Neill has told a conference in Perth that the EPA guidelines could jeopardise both the Browse and Scarborough projects, as well as the long-term future of the North West Shelf venture.

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, REPUTEX ENERGY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF MINES, INDUSTRY REGULATION AND SAFETY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, ADANI MINING PTY LTD, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, THE CHAMBER OF MINERALS AND ENERGY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, BP PLC, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC

Carbon rule threatens WA projects

Original article by Brad Thompson, Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 9 : 8-Mar-19

Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority has issued guidelines regarding new emissions-intensive projects. It states that any new or expanded project that emits over 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year should be carbon neutral. The new guidelines potentially jeopardise new LNG projects worth over $45 billion, although EPA chairman Tom Hatton notes that its decisions are not binding on the state government.

CORPORATES
WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, THE CHAMBER OF MINERALS AND ENERGY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY