Major disruption to natural gas supply in Western Australia
Location of facilities related to the 2008 WA gas crisis
The Western Australian gas crisis was a major disruption to natural gas supply in Western Australia, caused by the rupture of a corroded pipeline and subsequent explosion at a processing plant on Varanus Island, off the state's north west coast on 3 June 2008. The plant, operated by Apache Energy, which normally supplied a third of the state's gas, was shut down for almost two months while a detailed engineering investigation and major repairs were carried out. Gas supply from the plant partially resumed in late August. By mid-October, gas production was running at two-thirds of normal capacity, with 85% of full output restored by December 2008.
In a state heavily reliant on continuous supply of gas for industrial processing, manufacturing, residential use and electricity generation, the sudden loss of almost 35% of gas supply had immediate social impacts, and significant short and long-term economic effects. Many businesses were forced to curtail or cease operations, resulting in workers being stood down or forced to take annual leave, and the government requested that businesses and householders conserve energy usage. An emergency coordination committee of government and industry representatives rationed and redirected remaining gas supply sources. When many large gas users switched to diesel for power generation, the risk of a shortfall in transport fuel led to the federal government authorising the release of emergency fuel reserves stored at the Garden Island naval facility.
The incident raised significant public and political issues related to energy security, adequacy of existing infrastructure, contingency planning, and the role of regulatory agencies. The plant took three months to repair, although partial supplies were restored within six weeks of the explosion. A major investigation was launched by the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA), with separate investigations conducted by the plant operator and several other government agencies. NOPSA's report was published on 10 October 2008, and confirmed early suggestions that the explosion was caused by structural failure of the export pipeline due to significant corrosion. A Senate Committee inquiry was established to investigate the economic impacts and the state government's response to the crisis. The committee's report was handed down on 3 December 2008.
and 22 Related for: 2008 Western Australian gas crisis information
volumes of gas from the North West Shelf plant to the south-west of the state, for a period of several months. See: 2008WesternAustraliangascrisis As a...
natural gas transmission pipelines supplying the WesternAustraliangas market: Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline (DBNGP), which transports gas from...
Natural gas pipeline system in United States Pigging Hydrostatic test Varanus Island, WesternAustralia2008WesternAustraliangascrisis Palaceknowe Gas Pipeline...
natural gascrisis 2004 energy crisis in Argentina 2005, 2008 China experienced severe energy shortages towards the end of 2005 and again in early 2008. During...
WesternAustralia, accounting for 60 percent of sales in the state's mineral and petroleum industry. The petroleum sector, consisting of oil and gas,...
In June 2008, the natural gas pipeline explosion at the company's processing hub on Varanus Island led to the 2008WesternAustraliangascrisis. The Australian...
Recession that started in 2008 with the US subprime mortgage crisis. The major causes of the initial subprime mortgage crisis and the following recession...
The 1970s energy crisis occurred when the Western world, particularly the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, faced substantial...
in Ontario. This new US-supplied natural gas displaces the natural gas formerly shipped to Ontario from western Canada in Alberta and Manitoba, thus dropping...
The Great Recession in Russia was a crisis during 2008–2009 in the Russian financial markets as well as an economic recession that was compounded by political...
vein as the original TGV that was switched from gas turbine to electric propulsion after the 1973 oil crisis, several countries have renewed and increased...
Greenhouse gas emissions by Australia totalled 533 million tonnes CO2-equivalent based on greenhouse gas national inventory report data for 2019; representing...
Perth, the capital and most populous city of WesternAustralia, as well as other regional centres. The Australian government stimulus package ($11.8 billion)...
Barrow Island (WesternAustralia) – Island off the coast of WesternAustralia Gazetteer of Australia (1996). Belconnen, ACT: Australian Surveying and Land...
wheat and gas. Remittances, trade, and investment are projected to suffer significantly in Armenia as a result of the Russian financial crisis and the ensuing...
in WesternAustralia as it could burn the three fuels: coal, natural gas and oil. The original station operated: Two 120 MW steam turbines (oil/gas/coal...
benefited from the crisis. The jump in gasoline prices helped their small, fuel-efficient models to gain market share from the "gas-guzzling" Detroit competition...
Various gas masks employed on the Western Front during the war British Vickers machine gun crew wearing PH gas helmets with exhaust tubes Australian infantry...
was connected with fuel shortages and long lines at gas stations similar to the 1973 oil crisis. In 1980, following the onset of the Iran–Iraq War, oil...
Townsville, killing 18 Australian soldiers. A memorial stone to some of those who died during the Eureka Stockade in 1854. The 1950 Australian National Airways...