TABJ - June 15 - The West Australian Environmental Protection Authority (WAEP) has approved plans by US energy giant Chevron to develop a A$30 billion liquefied natural gas project in the state.

Set to be built near Onslow in the north west of the state, the Wheatstone LNG project is expected to emit 10 million tonnes of greenhouse gases every year.

According to Chevron Australian operations head Roy Krzywosinski the project would generate 6500 jobs.

An EPA report on the proposals stated: “The EPA has assessed the proposal for the Wheatstone development and believes that the proposal can be implemented with appropriate management to limit environmental impacts to an acceptable level.”

The EPA has recommended that Chevron put in place a greenhouse-gas abatement programme and offset the emissions of carbon dioxide from Wheatstone.

The report will now be sent to WA Environment Minister Bill Marmion and federal Environment Minister Tony Burke for approval.

The project would increase WA’s greenhouse-gas emission levels by 13.5 per cent levels and Australia’s total emission by 1.7 per cent.

If plans receive final approval from the government then the first LNG shipments produced by the plant are expected to be delivered by 2016.