APA Group (ASX: APA) today welcomes the Queensland Office of the Coordinator General’s decision to assign the North to East Australia Pipeline (NEAP) Coordinated Project status¹ as the formal environmental assessment process for the Beetaloo Basin east coast pipeline connection commences.

The Queensland Government decision is an important milestone for the responsible delivery of the project and follows the submission of an Initial Advice Statement in July under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (Qld).

The Coordinated Project declaration will ensure a streamlined whole-of-Queensland government approach to planning and environmental assessment for the project, recognising the NEAP’s economic and strategic significance for the state.

In parallel, APA has submitted its referral of the NEAP to the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority for an Environmental Impact Assessment under the Environment Protection Act 2019 (NT). A referral for Commonwealth Government environmental assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) will be delivered later in calendar year 2026.

The NEAP is proposed to run from the Beetaloo sub-basin in the Northern Territory to APA’s existing South West Queensland Pipeline (SWQP), linking Beetaloo gas to APA’s East Coast Gas Grid.

The project will help unlock the Beetaloo Basin for Australian households and business on the east coast, positioning the Beetaloo to help address projected emerging gas shortfalls² next decade and support the delivery of new gas-powered generation firming capacity.³

By connecting into the SWQP, the NEAP will also link the Beetaloo with existing LNG export facilities in Gladstone, Queensland, providing the opportunity for the Beetaloo to deliver ongoing economic benefits to Australia and support energy security and energy transition for our international trading partners.

APA CEO and Managing Director, Adam Watson, said:

“The Queensland Government’s decision recognises the potential of this project to deliver significant benefits for Queensland and Queenslanders. APA looks forward to continuing to partner with government, Traditional Owners, customers, landholders and communities to bring this project to life, including through a comprehensive and transparent environmental assessment process.

“Beyond the important role the Beetaloo will play in supporting Australia’s energy security and transition, unlocking Beetaloo gas and connecting infrastructure like the NEAP will support economic development for Queensland, the Northern Territory and Australian more broadly, stimulating jobs, investment and community development.

“The NEAP also has the potential for Australia to capture significant ongoing economic benefits as one of the world’s largest and most important LNG export markets.”

The proposed NEAP is in the early stages of development and has the potential to collect Beetaloo gas from multiple producers. During this early concept phase the project will continue to refine its design with input from key stakeholders and based on feedback from field assessments.

The project is still subject to extensive environmental and broader planning approvals. APA estimates that a final investment decision could be made from 2028, including a detailed assessment of financial and climate outcomes. Construction of the NEAP is estimated to commence as early as late 2029. Final development timelines will be informed by regulatory approvals and the success of ongoing gas appraisal activities across the Beetaloo.

¹ Coordinated projects in Queensland are significant developments with the potential to deliver substantial economic benefits to Queensland. Designated by the Office of the Coordinator General, the decision means APA will work with the Office of the Coordinator General and broader Queensland agencies to deliver a comprehensive environmental and social impact assessment on delivery of the project.
² AEMO’s 2026 Gas Statement of Opportunities, page 3, ‘forecasts gas shortfall risks during extreme peak day demand conditions from 2029 in southern Australia, with a need for additional supply in most scenarios from 2030’. 
³ AEMO’s 2026 Integrated System Plan Optimal Development Path forecasts a requirement for 17 GW of total installed GPG capacity (14GW of new build GPG capacity) in the NEM by 2050, as coal exits.