Queensland’s North Bowen Basin has emerged as a prime gas region likely to be prioritised in the federal government’s coming gas infrastructure initiative as gas buyers line up to secure energy from the region.

Preliminary sales agreements struck in the past few months by retailing giants Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia for gas from Blue Energy’s North Bowen Basin fields have highlighted the appetite for gas to be piped south from the region, which now can only send gas north to Townsville.