Environment Centre lodges NTCAT challenge in attempt to block Tamboran’s Beetaloo project

A prominent NT environment group has launched another legal challenge against fracking in the Beetaloo Basin, a week after a similar attempt was thrown out by the Supreme Court.

A Northern Territory environment group has launched another legal challenge against fracking in the Beetaloo Basin, a week after a similar attempt was thrown out by the Supreme Court.

Environment Centre NT on Thursday filed an urgent application attempting to stop Tamboran Resources from drilling its Shenandoah South gas wells, work on which began last month.

The application seeks to stay the NT Government’s approval of Tamboran’s environment management plan until the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal makes a final decision on a merits review launched last month.

That review, also launched by the ECNT, aims to have the environmental approval overturned entirely.

It is the first challenge to a fracking project initiated under new third party merits review provisions in the Territory’s Petroleum Act, which were a recommendation in the Pepper fracking inquiry.

Kirsty Howey from the Environment Centre NT. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Environment Centre NT executive director Kirsty Howey called for Tamboran to stop drilling until the risk to waterways was “properly assessed”.

“This stay application is about making sure the tribunal has an opportunity to assess what we argue are unacceptable risks to surface water and groundwater,” Dr Howey said.

Environment Minister Josh Burgoyne said the science had proven Tamboran’s project could be done safely, and “it is now time to move forward with these nationally important projects”.

“Developing our onshore gas industry in the Beetaloo Basin is an important part of rebuilding the Northern Territory economy,” he said.

“Our onshore petroleum industry is well regulated under a range of laws to ensure it occurs safely, and in line with community expectations.

“Our regulatory systems and processes are informed by the best available science, and the Beetaloo has been subject to extensive environmental and scientific studies.

Environment Minister Joshua Burgoyne. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

In a statement Tamboran said it took the protection of the environment and water “extremely seriously”.

“Tamboran’s Shenandoah South environmental management plan was approved, following rigorous evaluation and assessment by the independent NT Environment Protection Authority, by the NT Minister for Environment,” a spokesman said.

“(Tamboran) remains committed to following the Northern Territory’s environmental regulations, informed by two years of international investigation by leading scientific experts in the Pepper Inquiry.

“Tamboran has successfully drilled four wells across our operated Beetaloo Basin acreage, and we will continue to undertake our operations in an environmentally safe and low impact manner.

“Tamboran looks forward to continuing our operations so that we can deliver reliable, affordable and secure locally sourced gas to the people of the Northern Territory.”

H&P super-spec FlexRig on location at the SS2 well pad, as drilling begins on Tamboran Resources Shenandoah South Pilot Project in the Beetaloo Basin.

Last week the NT Supreme Court ruled the threat of climate change was not a relevant consideration in the approval of 12 exploratory wells Tamboran planned to drill in the Beetaloo, dismissing a case launched by the Central Australian Frack Free Alliance against former Environment Minister Lauren Moss.

It comes as an independent United Nations expert last week presented to the UN Human Rights Council on his 2023 visit to Australia, singling out fracking in the Beetaloo, Barossa gas, and the Middle Arm industrial development as projects of concern.

In his report the Special Rapporteur for Toxics and Human Rights, Marcos Orellana, warned “the petrochemical and oil and gas industries are lining up massive projects in the (Top End) region, threatening to make Darwin and the region a climate change sacrifice zone”.

Originally published as Environment Centre lodges NTCAT challenge in attempt to block Tamboran’s Beetaloo project