据世界天然气网站9月4日消息 澳大利亚统计局（ABS）最新数据显示，液化天然气出口继续支撑和巩固着澳大利亚经济的持续增长。

根据国民经济核算，2019年6月一季度资源和能源出口占总增长的一半以上，国内生产总值增长0.5个百分点。

根据澳大利亚统计局的数据，2018-19年石油和天然气行业对澳大利亚经济的增加值增至345亿美元，比2017-18年增长了19%。这一增长的主要驱动力是新液化天然气设施的产量增加。

在评论澳大利亚统计局的调查结果时，APPEA（澳大利亚石油生产勘探协会）首席执行官安德鲁?麦康维尔表示，这再次肯定了液化天然气出口对于维持澳大利亚经济增长的重要性。

麦康维尔说：“液化天然气出口是我们经济的重要力量来源，将为未来数十年的增长和繁荣提供动力。”

“然而要使液化天然气行业继续蓬勃发展，成为经济的关键驱动力，必须促进勘探和开发，而不是限制，而且行业必须具有进行投资的信心。

麦康维尔说：“对天然气价格施加下行压力的最佳方式仍然是增加天然气供应。”

麦康维尔表示，如果该行业能够在政府的高瞻远瞩的支持下进一步勘探和开发天然气资源，澳大利亚的天然气可以继续支撑国家建设向低碳、可持续能源经济的转变。

吴恒磊 编译自 世界天然气

原文如下：

APPEA: LNG exports bump Australia’s economy

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports continue to underpin the ongoing growth and strength of Australia’s economy, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures.

According to the National Accounts, resources and energy exports accounted for more than half of total growth in the June 2019 quarter with GDP growing by 0.5 percentage points.

The value-added by the oil and gas industry to the Australian economy increased to $34.5 billion in 2018-19, a jump of 19 percent compared with 2017-18, according to the ABS figures. The main driver of this growth was increased production from new LNG facilities.

Commenting on the ABS findings, APPEA chief executive Andrew McConville said this reaffirmed the significance of LNG exports for sustaining Australia’s economic growth.

“LNG exports are a vital source of strength for our economy and will provide decades of future growth and prosperity,” McConville said.

“However, for the LNG sector to continue to thrive and be a key driver of the economy, exploration and development must be fostered not restricted – and industry must continue to have confidence to invest.

“The best way to put downward pressure on gas prices remains more gas supply,” McConville said.

He said if the industry can further explore and develop gas resources with far-sighted support from governments, Australia’s natural gas can continue to underpin a nation-building shift to a lower-carbon, sustainable energy economy.