Update of the Gladstone LNG Project by our CEO

It has been a big couple of months for the Santos GLNG Project as we have started to see the results of our significant investment in water infrastructure and technologies over the last couple of years come to life. We are particularly proud of how we are working with the community and landholders in ensuring that the benefits of CSG water (the water we draw out to extract the gas and then desalinate) can be shared. In September I talked about launching our first irrigation project with one of our landholders, and how much interest we are receiving from other landholders in the area to have similar projects in place.

This week we launch another water initiative – the Santos GLNG Water Portal. This is an Australian first. From our website you will now be able to access our surface and groundwater monitoring results for our 100 monitoring locations spread across the Surat and Bowen Basins. Our team of water experts have pioneered this portal to share with the community the data and the knowledge we have accumulated, and are continuing to accumulate, about the water system in the areas we are operating in. We’ve always predicted, based on the comprehensive scientific work that has been done, that our operations will not impact on the viability of the Great Artesian Basin. Now, we will make public data so you can see for yourself what is happening at each of our water monitoring sites. I encourage you to have a look at the portal or read our media release.

In October's Project Update, we also focus on Project construction works. On Curtis Island, our clearing has been completed and we are now starting to see the first modules of our workers accommodation start to be built. Building has also commenced on the first of our 45 initial houses for our Gladstone workforce - click here to read full story.

In the gas fields, Maranoa Mayor Robert Loughnan joined us to mark the official launch of construction works on our new Roma Logistics Hub. This 3,000m2 warehouse will hold our inventory and become the new headquarters for Santos Eastern Queensland operations and our drilling teams - click here to read full story.

Featured in this update are also the contributions we have made recently to local communities including $500,000 to purchase new vital equipment for the Rural Fire Service to assist volunteer fire fighters in the Maranoa region - click here to read full story. Our team in Gladstone also handed over the keys to a medical bus service, funded by GLNG, to the Combined Rotary Clubs of Gladstone. The bus will provide free transport for patients who are referred for medical consultation or treatment by specialists located at Rockhampton based hospitals - click here to read full story.

We continue our recruitment drive for the project in full force. As I try never to miss an opportunity on this front, you can find our latest advertisement for around 200 roles in Queensland here. Our recruitment team was busy last week talking to potential future employees about the benefits of working for GLNG at the State Government’s ‘Work for Queensland Mining Job Expos’ on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts. Around 15,000 people in total attended the two events.

As we spend a lot of time talking individually to the Gladstone and Maranoa Regional Councils about aspects of our project we thought that perhaps they would find benefit in meeting each other. So in October our community teams hosted the Gladstone Regional Council in Roma and facilitated a session with the Maranoa Council - click here to read full story.

As always, I welcome your feedback on our GLNG Project and how we can work with you. Please feel free to email me directly with your views at Mark.Macfarlane.CEO@glng.com