APA Group Approves A$700 Million Bulloo Interlink Pipeline, Backed by Origin Energy Deal

APA Group has approved an additional A$700 million (USD $487 million) investment in the Bulloo Interlink Pipeline, bringing total committed investment in the project to A$920 million after an earlier A$220 million commitment in February 2026. The final investment decision is underpinned by a five-year take-or-pay gas transportation and storage agreement with Origin Energy, effective January 1, 2028, covering seasonal capacity across the South West Queensland, Moomba to Sydney, and Roma to Brisbane pipelines. The approximately 340-kilometer pipeline will connect APA's South West Queensland Pipeline with the Moomba to Sydney Pipeline, transporting up to 800 terajoules per day. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2027 pending regulatory approvals, with commercial operations targeted for winter 2029. The project is Stage 3B of APA's East Coast Gas Grid expansion. Combined with Stage 3A, due in winter 2028, the program is expected to lift APA's north-to-south transportation capacity by roughly 30%, and by more than 50% versus 2023 levels once the full third stage is complete. APA said it will fund the project through existing balance-sheet capacity.