The Goldfields Gas Pipeline (GGP) is the gas transmission pipeline system defined in Pipeline Licence 24 (as amended) issued under the Western Australian Petroleum Pipelines Act 1969.
The GGP extends from Yarraloola, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, to Kalgoorlie, in the Goldfields-Esperance region servicing the towns of Karratha, Paraburdoo, Newman, Wiluna, Leinster, Leonara and Kalgoorlie. The GGP is 1378 km, with a capacity of 202 TJ/day, and has nominal diameters of (Yaraloola to Newman offtake) DN400 and (Newman to Kalgoorlie) DN350.
The pipeline system defined in Pipeline Licence 24 includes the pipeline between the Quadrant Energy meter station near Yarraloola and the Yarraloola Compressor Station. It also includes a part of the pipeline which interconnects the GGP with the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline upstream of the Yarraloola Compressor Station. The Newman Lateral, which extends 47 km from the GGP main line to the town of Newman, is part of the pipeline system defined in Pipeline Licence 24. None of the other lateral pipelines extending from the GGP main line is part of the pipeline system defined in Pipeline Licence 24.
The following lateral pipelines form part of the GGP pipeline:
Paraburdoo Lateral (not APA owned)
West Angelas Lateral (not APA owned)
Newman Lateral - 1995, 47km, DN200, 40 TJ/d
Beyondie Lateral (not APA owned)
Savory Creek/Karlawinda Lateral - 2021, 56 km, DN100, 10 TJ/d
Plutonic Lateral (not APA owned)
Jundee Lateral (not APA owned)
Lake Way Lateral - 2021, 26km, DN100, 1.9 TJ/d
Wiluna Gold Lateral - 2001, 8km, DN80, 8 TJ/d
Mount Keith Lateral - 1996, 8km, DN200, 15 TJ/d
Cosmos Lateral (not APA owned)
Leinster Lateral - 1996, 5km, DN200, 78.5 TJ/day
Agnew Lateral - 2019, 24.4km, DN150, 4.1 TJ/day
Thunderbox Lateral (not APA owned)
Jaguar Lateral (not APA owned)
King of the Hills Lateral - 2022, 13km, DN100, 6 TJ.d
Parkeston Lateral - 1996, 8km, DN200, 5 TJ/d
Construction of the GGP was completed in 1996. The GGP mainline comprises two principal segments: 520 km of 406 mm diameter pipe between Yarraloola and the Newman Lateral offtake, and 857 km of 356 mm diameter pipe between the Newman Lateral offtake and Kalgoorlie. Compressor units were initially installed at Yarraloola (Units 1 and 2) and Ilgarari. The gas transportation capacity was of the pipeline was subsequently expanded by the addition of compression at Wiluna in 2001, and at Paraburdoo (Unit 1) in 2004. Compression was subsequently added at Yarraloola (Unit 3), Wyloo West, Paraburdoo (Units 2 and 3), Turee Creek, and Ned’s Creek.
The GGP is owned by the participants in the Goldfields Gas Transmission Joint Venture. The participants are currently Southern Cross Pipelines Australia Pty Ltd, Southern Cross Pipelines (NPL) Australia Pty Ltd and APA GGT Pty Limited. These are all part of the APA group.
Construction of the GGP, and its subsequent operation, have been facilitated by an agreement between the Goldfields Gas Transmission Joint Venture participants and the State of Western Australia, which was ratified by the Goldfields Gas Pipeline Agreement Act 1994.
The Goldfields Gas Transmission Joint Venture participants assigned the tasks of developing and operating the GGP to a manager. The manager is Goldfields Gas Transmission Pty Ltd. Goldfields Gas Transmission Pty Ltd is now an entity within APA Group.
The GGP is a covered pipeline under the access regime of the National Gas Law and the National Gas Rules. However, a part of the gas transportation capacity of the GGP is provided by assets which are uncovered, and that part of the capacity is not subject to the requirements of the access regime. These uncovered GGP assets are:
- Compressor Unit 3 at Yarraloola, which was installed in 2013;
- the compressor station at Wyloo West, which was constructed in 2009;
- Compressor Units 2 and 3 at the Paraburdoo Compressor Station, which were installed in 2007 and 2013, respectively;
- the compressor station at Turee Creek, which was constructed in 2014; and
- the compressor station at Ned’s Creek, which was constructed in 2009.
The following augmentations have been made since initial commissioning:
1996: Pipeline commissioned with Yarraloola Units 1 & 2 (reciprocating compressors) and Ilgarari Units 1 &2 (reciprocating compressors), Nameplate: 70 TJ/d
2001: Wiluna compressor installation, Nameplate: 76 TJ/d
2003: Paraburdoo Unit 1 Compressor (Saturn 20) installation, Nameplate: 106 TJ/d
2006-2009: Paraburdoo Unit 2 (Centaur 40), Wyloo West & Neds Creek (Centaur 50) compressors installation, Nameplate: 155 TJ/d
2014: Yarraloola Unit 3 & Paraburdoo Unit 3 (Centaur 50) compressors installation, Nameplate: 178 TJ/d
2014: Turee Creek Unit 1 & 2 (Centaur 50) compressors installation, Nameplate: 202 TJ/d
