Plans for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Port Taranaki have left some residents in New Plymouth suburbs nearby anxious, saying no one has consulted them about a project that sits close to homes.
The Government and port are weighing two proposals from liquefied natural gas specialists to build a fixed or floating terminal, which would receive LNG in liquid form from tankers, re-gasify it, then pipe it out.
Port Taranaki chief executive Simon Craddock said LNG was new to New Zealand and so there would be legitimate questions being raised by the public.
"LNG is new to New Zealand, so there will be legitimate questions about what it means and how it will be handled safely," he said.
"So we very much see it as our role to be guardians of the community's interest, so we'll be making sure that any terminal passes all regulatory and safety standards."
Retired oil and gas worker Rob Green, who overlooks the port, said the proximity worried him most. "If there's a huge blast that goes off down there, I'm straight in the blast zone. There's nothing between me and the port," he told Q+A.
Green said he wanted a publicly available quantitative risk assessment before any contract was signed, as well as answers about who would pay for the terminal.
Energy Watch Taranaki leader Sarah Roberts said a serious event was a low-probability but catastrophic risk, citing flash fires, jet fires and toxic vapour.
She said modern terminals were being placed away from built-up areas.
But the project also has strong local backing.
New Plymouth mayor Max Brough said the town was "excited", adding that while accidents happened, handling was not new and had been done safely for a long time.
"We've been waiting for something to come for a while, with the gas… there's been a bit of a bit of a hiatus," he said. "People always have fear of the unknown".
The worst LNG terminal accident happened in Algeria in 2004, where a facility that had not adhered to international safety standards exploded, killing 30.
Since then, recorded leaks or explosions across the roughly 300 LNG terminals worldwide have not resulted in fatalities.
Officials are expected to decide between the two developers within the next few months.
For the full story, watch Whena Owen's report in the video above
Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air
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