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Gas industry regulation
The Department of Energy and Climate administers and monitors legislation affecting the Queensland gas sector through the following acts and regulations.
Gas regulation and licensing in Queensland is covered by the:
- Gas Supply Act 2003
- National Gas (Queensland) Act 2008
- Energy and Water Ombudsman Act 2006.
The Department of Resources and Resources Safety and Health Queensland also administer and monitor legislation affecting the Queensland gas sector through the Petroleum and Gas (Productivity and Safety) Act 2004.
This guide provides an overview of gas regulation and licensing in Queensland.
Queensland gas legislation
Gas Supply Act 2003
The Gas Supply Act 2003 and Gas Supply Regulation 2007 regulate the supply and sale of reticulated covered gases. The Act covers:
- a business licensing regime for distributors of reticulated covered gases
- powers to ensure sufficiency of gas supply to essential services and other priority customers in the event of a shortage of covered gases supply to an area
- rights and responsibilities of gas distributors carrying out gas infrastructure work in publicly controlled areas such as roads
- ensuring the interests of customers are protected through the development and approval of industry codes, such as the Gas Distribution Network Code, which is administered by the Queensland Competition Authority.
Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004
The Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 regulates the technical and safety aspects of gas production, transmission, distribution and use and deals with licensing of gas transmission pipelines.
Learn more about petroleum and gas safety.
National Gas (Queensland) Act 2008
The National Gas (Queensland) Act 2008 applies the National Gas Law (NGL) and National Gas Rules in Queensland. The gas law and rules regulate third-party access to natural gas pipelines and establish the short term trading market and a bulletin board for information on natural gas services. The gas law and rules are available from the Australian Energy Market Commission.
As of 1 July 2015 and the commencement of the National Energy Customer Framework (NECF) in Queensland, the retail sale of gas is authorised by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) under the National Energy Retail Law. Visit AER for further details.
Energy and Water Ombudsman Act 2006
The Energy and Water Ombudsman Act 2006 gives small energy customers a timely, effective, independent and just way of referring disputes about matters involving energy entities, and having the disputes investigated and resolved.
To learn more about the Act, and about the Energy and Water Ombudsman Regulation 2022, visit Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland.
Gas distribution authorities
Under the Gas Supply Act 2003, if you distribute covered gas, by transporting and supplying it through a pipeline or reticulation system, you will generally require a distribution authority.
Distribution authorities are issued by the Regulator (the Director-General of the Department of Energy and Climate).
You must apply in writing to the Regulator for a distribution authority.
Application guidelines are available below to assist prospective applicants as well as current authority holders who wish to amend, transfer or surrender an existing authority.
Copies of distribution authorities issued by the Regulator are available in the register.
Forms and guidance
Applications must be made using the appropriate form.
The guidance document below provides information on when to apply for a new authority, as well as transferring, amending or surrendering an existing authority:
- Application for a gas distribution authority (DOCX, 84KB)
- Application to transfer an authority (DOCX, 71KB).
Authority proformas and conditions
You must comply with the conditions of any authority you hold.
Distribution authority holders are required to complete an annual report on their operations and submit it to the Regulator. There are a number of conditions and obligations for distribution authority holders in the Gas Supply Act 2003.
The proforma authorities set out below show the general conditions that apply to distribution authorities. The Regulator may choose to impose additional or different conditions.
Reporting requirements for gas authority holders
Annual reports
- If you are an authority holder, you must submit an annual report to the Regulator.
- The Department of Energy and Climate will contact all distribution authority holders annually and provide them with the relevant annual report templates and instructions on how to complete them and return them to the Regulator.
Entry notification reports
As a condition of its distribution authority, distributors must submit to the Regulator an entry notification report, within 1 month of entering a premise under section 139 and/or 140 of the Act.
You can use these entry notification report templates to submit your notifications:
Entry reporting requirements are covered by sections 139 and 140 of the Gas Supply Act 2003.
Register of Queensland gas distribution authorities
The distribution authorities issued by the regulator to date (which includes authorities replacing previous authorities issued in response to fresh applications and those surrendered) are listed below. The regulator's responsibilities in regard to the register of distribution authorities are set out in sections 308 to 310 of the Gas Supply Act 2003.
Distribution authorities
Current
- DA-A-005 – Maranoa Regional Council (PDF, 26KB) – issued 26 May 2004
- DA-A-006 – Western Downs Regional Council (PDF, 26KB) – issued 17 June 2004
- DA-A-007 – Australian Gas Networks Limited (PDF, 485KB) – issued 2 July 2004
- DA-A-009 – Allgas Energy Pty Ltd (PDF, 40KB) – issued 27 September 2004
- DA-A-013 – Charlton Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd (PDF, 440KB) – issued 11 November 2014
- DA-015 – Aatlis Utilities Pty Ltd (PDF, 1.9MB) – issued 3 October 2019
- DA-016 – Wellcamp Gas Pty Ltd (PDF, 435KB) – issued 29 March 2021
Contact for gas distribution licensing
Department of Energy and Climate
Phone: 13 43 87
Also consider...
- Learn more about gas in Queensland.
- Learn about electricity regulation and licensing in Queensland.
- Find out about regulators and other peak bodies for the Queensland energy industry.
Gas supply and infrastructure
Sufficiency of gas supply
In the event that a shortage of gas supply to an area occurs or is likely to occur, the Gas Supply Act 2003 gives the minister power to regulate the supply, distribution and sale of gas to customers. In such an event, a priority for the government would be to ensure an adequate supply of gas to essential services such as hospitals and aged persons homes.
Read the Gas Supply Act 2003.
For further information, contact the Department of Energy and Climate on 13 43 87.
Gas infrastructure work
The Gas Supply Act sets out the processes by which a distributor is able to install, operate and maintain natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas infrastructure on a publicly controlled place such as a road. Download the guidelines for gas infrastructure work in publicly controlled place (PDF, 42KB) to find out more about these processes, including the rights and obligations of the distributor and the public entity that controls the road or other public place.
Also consider...
- Learn more about gas in Queensland.
- Learn about electricity regulation and licensing in Queensland.
- Find out about regulators and other peak bodies for the Queensland energy industry.
© The State of Queensland 1995–2024
- Last reviewed: 08 Sep 2021
- Last updated: 08 Sep 2021