Maintenance background
Before maintenance begins, it’s imperative we completely remove any gas and refrigerants from the 100km+ of pipework so our team can do the job safely. We will return as much gas and refrigerant to storage as possible, while the balance will be sent to the flare so it can be burnt safely and minimise greenhouse gas emissions.
Predominantly methane gas is sent to flare producing a clean burning flame, which can vary in height depending on the gas flow rate.
Refrigerant gases - propane and ethylene - gases, used to cool the gas as part of the liquefication process, may also need to be flared in which case visible smoke may be produced.
While this smoke is visible for short periods, based on modelling and the Department of Environment and Science’s air quality monitoring, no health or environmental impacts are predicted from flaring at the LNG facility.
QGC has significantly reduced flaring since it began operations on Curtis Island and will continue to focus on minimisation.
Minimising flaring is important to us. It is fundamental for good business. Minimising flaring helps assure the future viability of our operations by optimising productivity and strengthening business performance. It also demonstrates QGC is sensitively integrating operations within the community.
About Flaring
No health or environmental impacts are predicted from flaring at QGC’s facility, including during smoky flare events. This is based on dispersion modelling and the Department of Environment and Science’s air quality monitoring:
- Dispersion modelling studies show that, due to flare gas composition and flare stack height, no health impacts are predicted.
- The smoke has a similar chemical composition to smoke from a campfire or candle, comprising carbon particles, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and water vapour.
- The Department of Environment and Science’s Gladstone air quality monitoring network data (PM10, PM2.5, NOx, SO2 readings) show no health or environment impacts related to flaring. Community members can access Gladstone air quality data at www.ehp.qld.gov.au/air/data/search. This data is publicly available in real time.
Maintenance Works 2017 – 2018
Between October 2017 and May 2018 QGC undertook two major maintenance programs at the LNG Plant on Curtis Island, inspecting, repairing and replacing critical equipment to ensure operations remained safe and reliable. Both programs were successfully and safely executed with minimal black smoke during the flaring process and no community complaints.
We are pleased that the results from the additional air quality monitoring conducted by the Department of Environment and Science have verified that the flaring at the LNG plant did not result in any exceedances of air quality objectives. We support continued operation by the Department of Gladstone’s air quality monitoring network, and efforts to improve the accessibility of this information for the community.
QGC will continue to operate within flaring regulations, keeping visible smoke to a minimum. We will continue to notify the community in advance of any planned maintenance activities that may result in flaring events.
Safety of our people, the community and the local environment is our priority.
Maintenance Works 2022
Shell’s QGC business will be conducting regular maintenance on Train 1 of the Curtis Island LNG Plant, from 15 June 2022 for approximately one month. The planned maintenance work to be completed ensures the technical integrity and reliability of the LNG plant. Train 2 will remain operational.
Approximately 700 additional, short-term roles are being created, with local workers, suppliers and businesses being engaged wherever possible to deliver these major works. Local businesses are providing a range of services from engineering, fabrication and equipment hire through to accommodation and transport.
As our team safely takes down and restarts the operations of Train 1, local residents may see a larger than normal flame and/or black smoke due to flaring from time to time. If smoky flaring does occur, it will be managed via regular operational conditions and processes, and in compliance with environmental regulations.
During this time, the safety of our people, plant and local community is our priority.
