01 Aug 2018

The oil and gas industry welcomed the announcement today that the CSIRO has commenced work to monitor landscape methane concentrations in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Sub-basin.

The independent CSIRO work will measure existing naturally occurring methane and identify any sources of elevated methane levels already occurring in the area. This monitoring is critical to ensuring that baseline figures are documented prior to any industry development activity occurring in the Beetaloo Sub-basin.

APPEA’s Director External Affairs, Matthew Doman said the start of this six month monitoring program is an important step towards the resumption of exploration activity in the 2019 dry season.

“It is vitally important that the Northern Territory Government meets its commitment to implement the Inquiry’s pre-exploration recommendations by the end of the year.

“APPEA’s members stand ready to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in further exploration activity over the next few years to further understand the potential of the NT’s onshore shale gas resources.

“Businesses, contractors and workers in the Territory are counting on the resumption of exploration activities and private investment to help get the Territory economy moving again,” Mr Doman said.

“As soon as we can get back to work, we will again employ local people, engage local companies and resume royalty payments to host Traditional Owners.”

Mr Doman said natural gas was a key part of the move to a lower emissions future, both as a lower emission energy source in its own right and as a natural partner with growing renewable energy use.

“The development of an onshore gas industry in the Territory can position it as a key player in this cleaner energy future,” he said.

“Under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System, the already industry measures, monitors and reports emissions across all of its activities.  The independent CSIRO work will complement these longstanding measurement, monitoring and reporting arrangements and add to the knowledge base for the industry and for stakeholders.” Download PDF

Media Contact

Matthew DomanMobile: 0421 888 858Email: >[email protected]