In a statement, QGC senior vice-president, Jim Knudsen, said the company became aware on March 16 that the lack of approved plans might breach environmental conditions.

The company says it ordered its contractor MCJV to stop work on March 17 pending a compliance review.

The shutdown is the latest controversy facing the company, which has come under criticism for its rushed approach to exploiting massive gas reserves in the Surat Basin.

Mr Knudsen said QGC became aware of potential breaches during an internal review after the contractor began clearing a 6km by 40m right-of-way for construction of a section of pipeline near Dalby.

"We do not believe the clearing has had an adverse impact on protected plants and animals and the potential breaches do not affect the safety of people," he said.

"We have stopped work because we are committed to doing the right thing and we take seriously our obligations to meet more than 1500 state and federal conditions on the Queensland Curtis LNG Project."

Mr Knudsen said work would not resume until conditions were met, and the company would cooperate fully with regulators.

QGC does not expect a material impact on project schedule.

The suspended pipeline work is unrelated to the connection of five wells to an underground pipeline system about 24km north of Tara, the statement said.