Overview
- Premier David Crisafulli pressed the Commonwealth to speed approvals for the Taroom Trough, which on Wednesday was paired with a state plan to build roads and trunk infrastructure to support development.
- Shell is producing about 200 barrels of crude a day from pilot wells, with oil trucked to iOR’s Eromanga refinery and turned into diesel for local use.
- Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said fossil fuel projects cannot use the EPBC Act’s national‑interest pathway and added the Commonwealth has not yet received a formal proposal from Queensland.
- Independent experts and climate advocates warn large‑scale output would take years because the resource sits 3–4 kilometres underground and likely needs horizontal drilling and fracking that drive up costs and water use.
- Energy Minister Chris Bowen said any attempt to streamline steps could come through a state–Commonwealth agreement only if the project meets economic and engineering tests.