Chevron’s AU$50 billion Gorgon LNG project in Western Australia with joint venture partners ExxonMobil and Shell is “Australia’s biggest single investment” said Prime Minister Rudd.

 

The Prime Minister asserted that “this project will generate enormous wealth for Australia.” The project is expected to inject AU$33 billion into the Australian economy within a few years through locally purchased goods and services. Natural gas exports from the project have been anticipated to reach AU$300 billion.

 

Prime Minister Rudd promised Chevron timely approval of production licenses and retention leases, and the creation of an Australian taskforce of 70,000 skilled workers to meet the demands of these major resource projects over the next decade.

“If all these projects proceed, there could be an additional 70,000 peak construction jobs and 16,000 ongoing positions generated by 2020,” he says.

Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association’s Chief Executive Belinda Robinson also revealed that Australia has over AU$200 billion worth of natural gas projects pending, which represents a creation of 55,000 new jobs.

Federal Environmental Minister Peter Garrett approved the Gorgon Project last month subject to 28 conditions to protect the environment around Barrow Island – the site of the proposed natural gas plant. Chevron agreed to invest an extra AU$62.5 million to protect the environment.

“The Gorgon Project has been deliberately sited to avoid areas of particular conservation significance and the three-train Gorgon Project will have minimal additional environmental impact,” affirmed Chevron Australia’s Managing Director Roy Krzywosinski.

The American Australian Association will be honoring Dave O’Reilly, Chairman and CEO of Chevron at its 2009 Benefit Dinner on November 9 at Cipriani 42^nd Street, New York.