Jemena’s $800 million Northern Gas Pipeline (NGP) project in the Northern Territory and Queensland created more than 680 jobs in 2017, the company’s analysis has found.

The 622km gas pipeline project also saw local businesses and organisations across the Territory and Queensland awarded 205 contracts last year.

“We’re thrilled to be able to provide jobs and training opportunities to local people who benefit not only from working on a major project, but from the new skills and qualifications that they have acquired. These new skills also benefit the broader community as they can be applied to other roles across the energy, utility, and related industries,” Northern Gas Pipeline project director Jonathan Spink said.

“Pleasingly over half of the jobs created by the NGP project have been in the Barkly and Mount Isa regions. Further, over 230 positions have been secured by people from Aboriginal communities in these areas.”

Mr Spink said jobs awarded in 2017 spanned the NGP’s planning and construction phases, with people engaged to operate machinery, conduct environmental and cultural assessments, act as labourers, and complete pipelining works.

In 2017 Jemena constructed 403km of pipeline – 262km in the Northern Territory and 141km in Queensland.

The construction of the NGP will continue in 2018, with first gas expected to flow late this year.

Jemena is also looking to expand and extend the NGP.

It recently signed a binding agreement with Galilee Energy to work together to deliver gas from Galilee Energy’s Glenaras project in the Galilee Basin to the east-coast domestic gas market.