Gas Supply and Storage
The Golden Beach Energy Storage Project is an offshore gas storage project in Gippsland, Victoria, strategically located close to the Longford Gas Hub.
Energy storage
The Storage Facility
The offshore storage facility will enable new gas to be injected at times of low gas demand (often in summer), and withdrawn again at times of higher demand (usually winter).
Having significant reserves of gas in storage and readily available on peak energy demand days, will help balance the market at times when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine.
The Project is targeting commencing operations as a flexible storage facility in 2029.
Energy storage
We're in Transition
The Golden Beach Energy Storage Project will provide essential supply flexibility and dispatchable energy to an energy market in transition. The project is critical to south-east Australia's net zero objectives and addresses short and long-term projected gas supply shortfalls.
As our energy market transitions to include more renewables and coal-fired power stations exit the market, there are a number of advantages to being able to have deep reserves of gas in storage and available for use when needed:
Seasonality
- Historically, winter demand peaks have been met through increasing ‘swing’ production at existing facilities
- With ‘swing’ production in decline as mature fields in the Gippsland Basin are depleted and pipelines from the north are constrained, storage will be increasingly important to help manage seasonal variations in demand
Security
- Having gas in storage that can be called upon in the event of an unexpected disruption elsewhere in the system contributes to energy security and maintains market operability
- Gas in excess of current market demand could be stored as a strategic reserve
Flexibility
- Storage supports the energy transition by providing a flexible source of dispatchable energy
- It provides immediate energy during periods of peak electricity demand and renewable generation intermittency
Critical Infrastructure
- The project has been identified as critical infrastructure, capable of ultimately delivering up to 500 TJ per day of withdrawal capacity
- The Project will support other energy solutions (LNG imports, Queensland gas supply and in time biogas and hydrogen
Efficient Use of Capital
- The Project enables the optimisation of new sources of supply (LNG import terminals, new gas fields or pipelines).
Project timeline
Our Progress
GB Energy is very conscious of projected gas shortages in south-east Australia later this decade. The Project is targeting commencing operations as a flexible storage facility in 2029.
Upcoming Operations
Upcoming Operations
Offshore drilling
- GB Energy is planning to commence a gas drilling campaign in late 2026.
- The drilling activity will be just over 4km offshore from the township of Golden Beach, in water depth of approximately 20 meters
- The drilling activities will be conducted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They will take around 140 days to complete.
- The drilling rig will operate in accordance with international safety & environmental standards and will have an approved Safety Case and Environmental Plan.
- Before the drilling rig departs, each well will be fully tested. This will involve controlled flaring, where gas is safely burned off in intermittent periods at varying rates. During testing, the flare may be bright and produce some noise, which is normal and expected. The total period of flaring is not expected to exceed 24 hours of cumulative flaring for each of the three wells.
- A 500-metre Petroleum Safety Zone (PSZ) will be established around the drilling rig in line with Australian offshore safety regulations
- Details about the rig’s location and timing will be shared through official channels, including Notices to Mariners issued by the Australian Hydrographic Office and AUSCOAST warnings from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. These notices help inform other marine users about temporary changes or restrictions in the area.
- Closer to the start of drilling, GB Energy will provide further information about the timing of operations and support vessel movements to relevant fishing industry bodies to help ensure clear communication and coordination with local fishers.
More information about our Offshore Drilling activities can be found here.
Regulatory Approvals
Key Approvals Granted
The Project has the support of both the Victorian Environment Effects Act 1978 and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The Victorian Minister for Planning determined in May 2021 that the Environment Effects Statement (EES) by GB Energy is appropriate and supports the development of the Project. The EES process is a significant undertaking and underpins the development of the Project according to environmental parameters and processes.
In parallel with the EES process, the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (now the National Environmental Protection Agency (National EPA) from 1 July 2026) approved the Project under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, in April 2021 (EPBC ref 2019/8513). An administrative variation to this approval to include new legislation and updated timeframes for Project activities was granted by National EPA in October 2026.
Native title requirements under the Commonwealth Native Title Act 1998 have been met for the Project and approval was received in October 2020.
Under the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, the Project received approval for Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) #1703 in May 2021. Since this existing CHMP is now outside the statutory 5-year period during which it can be further amended, a new CHMP #21267 was developed, including minor amendments, and was approved in October 2026.
The Onshore Pipeline Licence under the Victorian Pipelines Act 2005 was granted in July 2021 and is awaiting final issue following the completion of the remaining landholder agreements.
The Development Licence for the gas processing facility (also referred to as the compressor station) under the Victorian Environment Protection Act 2017, was approved by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria in July 2026. The Development Licence is an EPA permission that allows the gas plant facility to be constructed provided various design, construction and commissioning conditions are met. GB Energy will apply to the EPA for an Operating Licence to cover operations at the gas plant facility in due course.
The Petroleum Production Licence and the Offshore Pipeline Licence under the Victorian Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Act 2010 were both granted in October 2026 by the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). In addition, DEECA has also approved the Field Development and Storage Development Plans for the Project. The Storage Development Plan is the first to be approved for offshore petroleum storage in Victorian State waters.
Also, under the Victorian Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Act 2010, GB Energy was accepted as Operator of the offshore pipeline and subsea infrastructure by the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) in August 2026 and the Drilling Environment Plan was accepted by DEECA in July 2026.
The Project has been classified as critical energy infrastructure under the Commonwealth Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 and is expected to support the market and the transition to large scale renewable generation.