Yes, absolutely. Given most internal combustion engines can be rejiigged to run on compressed gas! It's something whose day is here. always providing it can be done as a public sector project to keep greedy privateers and their grubby, greed is good, hands off rivers of gold for them.

We need government gas stations in almost every town and along every major highway to ensure that the large profits available don't do what they've always done here. head offshore taking all tax liability with them.

The gas pipeline need not go through any aboriginal land but go to gladstone as an entirely marine project. And done off budget and paid for via the sale of low yield, tax free, infrastructure bonds. which would include all the retail outlets and gas compressors, tanks etc.

That said, we should also consider MSR thorium in the energy mix with subsequent power prices as low as 1.98 cents PKWH. We are currently being crippled by energy prices and foreigners who pass on unnecessary international prices to the domestic market. Developing thorium-based energy provision enabling energy independence from foreigners, something we should have done, decades ago!

The only way to ensure this doesn't continue is to deal them out of all future energy projects. Mind you, nothing to stop foreign investors from looking for safe harbour, infrastructure bond investments, with a government guaranteed return for the life of their investment.

I can see many super providers and pension funds looking with welcome eyes at just such income earning tax free, government guaranteed, infrastructure bonds! TBC.
Alan B.

Alan B.,
The government has better things to do with its money than waste it on guaranteeing high risk projects of dubious benefit!

I'm pretty sure offshore pipelines are more expensive than terrestrial ones even before you consider the extra costs related to sensitive marine environments like the Great Barrier Reef. And paralleling existing pipelines on land for a third of the way (possibly more) really doesn't make sense. So your offshore only idea really is a non starter. And I hope you agree we shouldn't still be subsidising fossil fuel infrastructure.

So should this pipeline be built? Maybe, but I can't see what's in it for PNG. Building an expensive pipe to export gas to the world's biggest gas exporting country seems rather inefficient; an LNG plant to export it by ship would seem to make much more sense.

That said, quoting fantasy prices for MSR thorium power to three significant figures shows just how out of touch you are!

Would Australia really & I mean really want PNG have its hand on the Gas Tap to Australia ?
Me thinks not !
Remember the situation in Europe-Russia not that long ago as in right now ?
Time to start let people who can think do the thinking don't you think ?

"Remember the situation in Europe-Russia not that long ago as in right now ?"

Ships carrying $2 billion in natural gas are waiting off Europe's coast for prices to rise so they can cash in, report says...
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ships-carrying-2-billion-natural-110454279.html

Theses days the people doing the thinking are screwing the people every way they can.

Theses days the people doing the thinking are screwing the people every way they can.
Armcair Critic,
If more people started to think then your kind of thinkers would be left out in the cold !
Being callous, greedy, selfish, uncaring is detrimental thinking ! The proof is all around.
Start thinking about introducing a healthier mentality !

We are not Ukraine and PNG is not Russia, so the comparison does not stack up. Besides we have no domestic gas reserve and would do well to build own and maintain the pipeline. If only to guarantee supply at a price that doesn't kill our struggling economy. Moreover, converting the national transport to compressed NG will reduce carbon emissions by 45%. Furthermore, it has to be seen as a temporary measure as we transition away from fossil fuels over the next 20-30 years, or sooner.

It only makes sense and the required volume if we convert our vehicles to much, much cheaper compressed gas as opposed to petrol and diesel. Range is reduced to 80%. But not an issue as we just need to stop a little sooner for the refuel/coffee break.

The government needs to invest in infrastructure, like there's no tomorrow! And can't lose on energy investments, particularly gas. And give it time to get into MSR thorium as the super fuel and green, carbon-free, energy of the future.

We could do it sooner but for the brain-dead morons, who stand against it with, a die in the ditch first, irrational response.

Or worse, even less rational, against it because I'm for it, Adian. Or with an IQ a little below the ambient temperature?
Alan B.