Queensland Pushes for Second Refinery and Taroom Trough Exemptions

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli announced that the state is actively negotiating with proponents to construct a second fuel refinery, aiming to bolster sovereign capability amidst ongoing energy security concerns. The proposed facility would potentially service new oil reserves from the Taroom Trough, located approximately 300 kilometers west of Brisbane. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie stated that government agencies are directed to remove all obstacles to fast-track approvals and secure land, primarily considering sites in the Gladstone region. Concurrently, Crisafulli urged the federal Albanese government to grant national interest exemptions under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act for the Taroom project and to implement a public fuel supply dashboard. However, Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt rejected the exemption request, noting such exceptions do not apply to fossil fuels, and criticized Queensland for failing to engage in bilateral approval agreements. While Shell has commenced small-scale production in the Taroom Trough, experts warn that full-scale extraction involves complex and costly horizontal drilling and fracking techniques deep underground.