Australia's AGL Energy has signed agreements for pipeline access and jetty access for the Crib Point liquefied natural gas import project near Melbourne.

The pipeline deal is with APA Group, which stands to build a 60-kilometre pipeline from the Crib Point floating storage and regasification unit into APA’s 7500-kilometre East Coast Grid via the Victorian Transmission System.

The long-term jetty access agreement with the Port of Hastings Development Authority means AGL will have exclusive occupation of berth two for the continuous mooring of the FSRU vessel. Both agreements are subject to regulatory approvals and a final investment decision by AGL Energy.

The Crib Point project will have the capacity to handle up to 140 petajoules (132 billion cubic feet) of gas per annum by 2020 or 2021.

A second LNG import terminal is planned at Port Kembla in New South Wales by Australian Industrial Energy (AIE) — an alliance between local company Squadron Energy, Marubeni Corporation and JERA.

Despite Australia being a major LNG exporter, domestic gas shortages have emerged in Victoria and New South Wales, not helped by legislative restrictions on onshore petroleum activity.

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AGL signs up Cribb Point for pipeline and jetty access