NEM Dashboard · east-coast gas
FlowTrace
Australia's east coast gas flow monitor
How production, pipelines, storage, demand and short-term prices interact across Australia's east coast gas system: where gas is moving, when the system is becoming constrained, and which physical conditions are contributing to a market stress event.
Built on public AEMO Gas Bulletin Board data. Not market advice.
Project thesis · what FlowTrace is testing Read the thesis
FlowTrace measures a contradiction in Australia's east coast gas system: the country exports most of its gas from one coast while the far end of the same pipeline network struggles to keep Melbourne warm in winter. Built from the operator's own public data, it tracks where gas is produced, where it moves, and when the network is running against its limits.
Three things stand out so far. LNG export accounts for the large majority of all end-use gas — generation, the subject of most energy-transition commentary, is a fraction of it, though still enough to set a floor under electricity prices. The pipelines feeding Curtis Island have been flagged as threatened on nearly every day for months, a structural condition rather than a passing event. And stress is regional: storage in one state can sit near a record low while another sits comfortably above normal, a pattern a single national number would hide entirely.
The wider claim: whenever a domestic market is joined to a global one by an export terminal, the domestic remainder pays a cost worth measuring directly rather than assuming away. Prices are not yet built into FlowTrace, so its commercial half — what that cost actually is — remains the next piece of work.
Source: AEMO Gas Bulletin Board, fetched from nemweb. This thesis is the standard the rest of the design is held to.
System snapshot · Aug. 10, 2026
Each figure sits against the same week in every other year on record, because a level without history is not a finding.
Gas in storage
45,649 TJ
no comparable history
▼ 768 (2%) over seven days
6 facilities reporting
LNG export draw
2,309 TJ
no comparable history
▼ 1,394 (38%) over seven days
three Curtis Island trains
Gas for power
80 TJ
no comparable history
▼ 197 (71%) over seven days
sets a floor under NEM prices
An export system with a domestic remainder
Supply against end-use demand, July 12, 2026 to Aug. 10, 2026 (90 days). The filled band is LNG export — over this window it averaged 88% of all end-use gas. The gap between the export band and the demand line is the domestic remainder: generation, large industry and distribution combined.
- Supply
- End-use demand
- LNG export (of demand)
How Australia's east-coast gas system moved
Net supply, demand and gas flows · Aug. 10, 2026 · TJ/day
Node size shows net supply or demand. Line width shows gas flow, tapering toward the receiving location. The Curtis Island LNG export is scaled separately from the domestic network below, so it stays obviously large without flattening everything else to hairlines. Hover or focus any node for its outgoing and incoming detail.
- Net supply
- Net demand
- Transit only
- Measured flow
- Allocated estimate
- LNG export
Not a map — the Bulletin Board publishes no coordinates, so positions are placed by hand and distances mean nothing. The faint circles group nodes by state for orientation only, computed from the nodes actually drawn rather than hand placed, so they can never drift out of sync with the layout. Coverage is the eastern system plus the Northern Territory, connected via the Northern Gas Pipeline; Western Australia runs its own, separate Gas Bulletin Board and is out of scope, which is why it never appears here.
Node values are published separately from the flows shown — production, storage and end-use figures at that location, not a sum of the connections touching it — so a node and its edges will not reconcile exactly, by construction rather than by error. Where a pipeline delivers to several points, the individual line is allocated across them by size rather than directly measured; where gas moved both ways between the same two points on the day, one line shows the net movement, with both raw figures kept in its tooltip.
The largest flows, as figures
| From | To | TJ/day | Via |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional QLD | Curtis Island | 2,293 | GLNG Pipeline, WGP LNG export |
| Longford | Melbourne | 284 | VTS allocated |
| Wallumbilla | Moomba | 132 | SWQP allocated |
| Moomba | Sydney | 120 | MSP allocated |
| Iona | Melbourne | 116 | VTS allocated |
| Ballera | Regional QLD | 62 | CGP |
| Regional QLD | Brisbane | 54 | RBP |
| Wallumbilla | Regional QLD | 54 | BWP, CRWP, RBP, RCWP allocated |
| Wallumbilla | Ballera | 51 | SWQP allocated |
| Longford | Northern VIC | 48 | VTS allocated |
| Longford | Geelong | 46 | VTS allocated |
| Moomba | Regional NSW | 42 | MSP allocated |
Where the gas came from
Two demand measures, side by side and never added. End use counts facilities reporting directly and is blind where consumption arrives through a transmission system — Victoria's end-use figure understates its real load, because Melbourne is served by a pipeline rather than facilities that report demand directly. Delivered counts what pipelines put into the state, which catches that load but double counts wherever a pipeline feeds a facility that also reports. No net column: one balance would have to pick a side and be wrong for half the states.
| State | Supply (TJ) | End use (TJ) | Delivered by pipeline (TJ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| QLD | 2,603 | 2,363 | 2,431 |
| VIC | 735 | 26 | 669 |
| SA | 174 | 4 | 20 |
| NT | 32 | 45 | 53 |
| NSW | 1 | 0 | 226 |
| East coast | 3,545 | 2,438 | 3,399 |
When the system has been tight
One cell per pipeline per gas day, Aug. 11, 2026 to Aug. 13, 2026 (90 days). 3 of 53 pipelines were flagged at least once; only those are drawn. The band on top counts pipelines flagged each day.
- Adequate
- Threatened
- Inadequate
A pipeline flagged on most of its assessed days is set in italics below: it is chronically tight, a structural fact about the network, not an event. Reading it the same as a pipeline flagged once turns a permanent condition into a false alarm — which is how a monitor loses its reader.
Chronic — Comet Ridge to Wallumbilla Pipeline (3 days), GLNG Gas Transmission Pipeline (3 days)
Episodic — Kurri Kurri Lateral Pipeline (1 day)
How full the pipelines were
Throughput on gas day Aug. 10, 2026 against the capacity in force that day, not today's. 1 of 19 pipelines ran above 90%. Capacity is the largest rated leg, never the sum: a bidirectional pipeline publishes one rating each way, and adding them would invent capacity that cannot exist at once.
- Under 90%
- 90% or over
- Denominator limit — not scarcity
1 pipeline received more than the largest single rated leg allows. Maximum daily quantity is a point-to-point rating, so a pipeline taking gas in at several points can exceed any one leg — the South West Queensland Pipeline received at both Wallumbilla and Moomba. A limit of this measure, not a pipeline over capacity, so they are excluded from the count above.
Our arithmetic, not an AEMO measure. AEMO's own view is the linepack adequacy flag, shown above and in the forward outlook below.
Storage against its own history
Gas held across the east coast, July 12, 2026 to Aug. 10, 2026, against the median for the same day in other years. A level only means something next to what is usually held at that point in the season.
- Held
- Median for this day in other years
| Facility | Held (TJ) | Median for this day (TJ) | Versus median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roma Underground Storage (RUGS) | 15,153 | — | — |
| Iona Underground Gas Storage | 14,295 | — | — |
| Silver Springs | 8,607 | — | — |
| Moomba LDB Storage | 6,306 | — | — |
| Newcastle Gas Storage (NGS) | 677 | — | — |
| LNG Storage Dandenong | 612 | — | — |
| Total, like for like | 45,649 | — | — |
Constraint outlook
AEMO's linepack adequacy assessment: recent observed days plus the forward outlook, seven days in total. Utilisation above can only be computed after the fact — this is the only forward-looking physical signal in the dataset.
| Gas day | Basis | Flags | Pipelines flagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 11, 2026 | Forecast | 50 green, 3 amber | Comet Ridge to Wallumbilla Pipeline (amber), GLNG Gas Transmission Pipeline (amber), Kurri Kurri Lateral Pipeline (amber) |
| Aug. 12, 2026 | Forecast | 51 green, 2 amber | Comet Ridge to Wallumbilla Pipeline (amber), GLNG Gas Transmission Pipeline (amber) |
| Aug. 13, 2026 | Forecast | 51 green, 2 amber | Comet Ridge to Wallumbilla Pipeline (amber), GLNG Gas Transmission Pipeline (amber) |
What the gas is for
End-use demand by consumer type, May 13, 2026 to Aug. 10, 2026 (90 days). LNG export is not just the largest category, it is most of the system; generation is the small volatile band. Pipelines are excluded — their reported demand is delivery to consumers and would count the same gas twice.
- LNG export
- Large user
- Gas-powered generation
Data currency — refreshed weekly on Monday, currently to Aug. 10, 2026
| Source | Covers | Position | Margin | Last refreshed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| flows | July 12, 2026 to Aug. 10, 2026 | 1 day behind | 30 days | 11 Aug 2026 11:59 |
| forecasts | Aug. 11, 2026 to Aug. 17, 2026 | 6 days ahead | forward outlook, nothing lost | 11 Aug 2026 11:59 |
| linepack_adequacy | Aug. 11, 2026 to Aug. 13, 2026 | 2 days ahead | forward outlook, nothing lost | 11 Aug 2026 11:59 |
| missing | Aug. 10, 2025 to Aug. 9, 2026 | 2 days behind | 363 days | 11 Aug 2026 11:59 |
Reference: 157 registered facilities, 45 pipelines, 768 connection points
Registered facilities
| Type | Total | Active |
|---|---|---|
| Pipeline | 45 | 45 |
| Gas-powered generation | 42 | 42 |
| Production | 42 | 42 |
| Large user | 10 | 10 |
| Compression | 7 | 7 |
| Storage | 7 | 7 |
| LNG export | 3 | 3 |
| Blended distribution | 1 | 1 |
| All facilities | 157 |
- 25 locations, of which 4 are trading hubs
- 768 connection points, 325 mapped to a demand zone
- 55 rated capacity legs in force on Aug. 10, 2026, of which 14 pipelines carry more than one (the reverse-haul signal), across 15 basins and 55 linepack zones
- 195 ratings archived since 2019 — the re-rating history, not a count of legs
Pipelines
| Pipeline | Operator | Legs in force | Largest leg (TJ/day) | Connection points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APLNG Pipeline | Australia Pacific LNG Pty Limited | 1 | 1,760 | 23 |
| Amadeus Gas Pipeline | — | 0 | — | 20 |
| Atlas Gas Pipeline | Jemena Darling Downs Pipeline (3) P/L | 1 | 54 | 2 |
| Atlas to Reedy Creek Pipeline | APA Group | 0 | — | 2 |
| BassGas to Pakenham Pipeline | Beach Energy (Operations) Limited | 2 | 67 | 4 |
| Berwyndale to Wallumbilla Pipeline | — | 0 | — | 5 |
| Bomaderry Gas Pipeline | Shoalhaven Starches | 1 | 42 | 2 |
| Bonaparte Gas Pipeline | — | 0 | — | 3 |
| Braemar 2 Pipeline (B2PL) | Arrow Braemar 2 Pty Ltd | 1 | 219 | 9 |
| Braemar Pipeline | Braemar Power Project Pty Ltd | 4 | 120 | 8 |
| Carpentaria Pipeline | — | 0 | — | 11 |
| Central West Pipeline (CWP) | — | 0 | — | 6 |
| Colongra Gas Pipeline | Jemena Colongra Pty Ltd | 1 | 43 | 2 |
| Comet Ridge to Wallumbilla Pipeline | GLNG Operations Pty Ltd | 2 | 950 | 11 |
| Darling Downs Pipeline | — | 6 | 550 | 15 |
| E04 Pipeline | QGC Pty Limited | 2 | 180 | 4 |
| Eastern Gas Pipeline | Jemena Eastern Gas Pipeline (1) Pty Ltd | 1 | 349 | 21 |
| GLNG Gas Transmission Pipeline | GLNG Operations Pty Ltd | 1 | 1,430 | 12 |
| Kurri Kurri Lateral Pipeline | APA Group | 0 | — | 3 |
| LYB Transmission Pipeline | LYB Operations & Maintenance Pty Ltd | 1 | 146 | 3 |
| McArthur River Pipeline | Power and Water Corporation | 1 | 15 | 2 |
| Moomba to Adelaide Pipeline System | Epic Energy South Australia Pty Ltd | 2 | 252 | 38 |
| Moomba to Sydney Pipeline System | — | 0 | — | 46 |
| Mortlake Pipeline (MPL) | SEA Gas | 1 | 150 | 3 |
| Northern Gas Pipeline | Jemena Northern Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd | 2 | 90 | 4 |
| Palm Valley Pipeline | APT AM Holdings Pty Ltd | 1 | 16 | 7 |
| Port Campbell to Adelaide Pipeline (PCA) | SEA Gas | 1 | 259 | 15 |
| Port Campbell to Iona Pipeline (PCI) | SEA Gas | 2 | 400 | 16 |
| Queensland Gas Pipeline | Jemena Queensland Gas Pipeline (1) P/L | 2 | 148 | 20 |
| Reedy Creek to Wallumbilla Pipeline | — | 0 | — | 5 |
| Roma - Brisbane Pipeline | — | 0 | — | 32 |
| Roma North (Mimas) Gas Pipeline | Stuart Petroleum Cooper Basin Gas | 2 | 54 | 3 |
| Roma North Gas Pipeline | Jemena Roma North Pipeline Pty Ltd | 1 | 53 | 2 |
| Roma Pipeline | Origin Energy Electricity Limited | 2 | 19 | 3 |
| Silver Springs Pipeline | OGT Energy Pty Ltd | 2 | 40 | 4 |
| South East Pipeline System | Epic Energy South Australia Pty Ltd | 1 | 16 | 5 |
| South East South Australia Pipeline (SESA) | — | 0 | — | 4 |
| South West Queensland Pipeline | — | 0 | — | 24 |
| Tallawarra Pipeline | EnergyAustralia Tallawarra Pipelines P/L | 1 | 192 | 2 |
| Tanami Gas Pipeline | AGI Tanami Pty Limited | 2 | 7 | 3 |
| Tasmania Gas Pipeline | Tasmanian Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd | 1 | 129 | 18 |
| VicHub Pipeline | Jemena VicHub Pipeline Pty Ltd | 1 | 150 | 4 |
| Victorian Transmission System | Australian Energy Market Operator Ltd | 5 | 1,114 | 152 |
| Wallumbilla to Gladstone Pipeline | QGC Pty Limited | 1 | 1,598 | 12 |
| Wickham Point Pipeline | — | 0 | — | 6 |
Storage
- Dandenong Liquefaction Plant — BOC Limited
- Iona Underground Gas Storage — Lochard Energy (Iona Operations) Pty Ltd
- LNG Storage Dandenong — operator not published
- Moomba LDB Storage — Santos Limited
- Newcastle Gas Storage (NGS) — AGL Energy Limited
- Roma Underground Storage (RUGS) — Santos CSG Pty Ltd
- Silver Springs — OGT Energy Pty Ltd
Trading hubs
- Wallumbilla Hub (QLD) — APA Wallumbilla Hub
- Moomba Hub (SA) — APA Moomba Hub
- Iona Hub (VIC) — Supply, demand and transfer of gas within the Iona hub
- Longford Hub (VIC) — Production and transfer of gas within the Longford hub