A $15m inquiry into fracking says environmental risks are minimal

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A new $15m study into the environmental impacts of fracking in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo basin has given the project a green tick.

The Strategic Regional Environmental and Baseline Assessment study examined an area of 86,400 square kilometres - about 20 per cent larger than Tasmania and more than three times the size of the Beetaloo Sub-basin - to determine six key baseline criteria.

It’s the most comprehensive environmental study ever undertaken in the Northern Territory.

The study assessed:

* Water quality and quantity;

* Aquatic ecosystems;

* Terrestrial ecosystems;

* Methane and greenhouse gas;

* Environmental health; and

* Social, cultural and economic assets.

Released on Tuesday, the SREBA found there are no permanent streams in the Beetaloo basin and that groundwater in the main water source - the Cambrian limestone aquifer - is at least 100m below the surface and possibly as low as 300m from the surface.

Northern Territory independent hydraulic fracturing inquiry chair Justice Rachel Pepper. Picture: AAP Image/Lucy Hughes Jones

It’s estimated flow rates near or around the Beetaloo are as slow as 10cm a year. Most of the more substantial water flows connected to the Roper and Flora rivers are hundreds of kilometres to the north of the Basin and will be unaffected by fracking. In the event of a leak it would take tens-of-thousands of years to reach the rivers.

The study also identified there was no significant risk to the various animals that live in the region including birds, fish, ants and stygofauna.

The SREBA is not a risk assessment, but a vehicle to government, regulators and industry to apply robust risk assessment.

It was a recommendation of the Pepper Inquiry into hydraulic fracturing (fracking), which was released five years ago almost to the day.

The Labor opposition proposed an inquiry into the Beetaloo Basin development before the 2016 election and declared a moratorium pending the results of an inquiry. It commissioned Justice Rachel Pepper to conduct the almost two-year inquiry.

Environment Minister Lauren Moss described SREBA as the most comprehensive regional scientific study ever conducted in the Northern Territory and it accounts for 35 of the 135 recommendations contained in the Pepper Inquiry report.

“The work involved has been immense and the government has great confidence that the regulatory reform and scientific studies will withstand public scrutiny and the test of time,” Ms Moss said.

“Importantly, this work will play a critical role in avoiding and mitigating the risks that are associated with onshore gas development activities as the (Pepper) inquiry always intended.”

The government had previously hoped legislative and regulatory changes to pave the way for fracking would be completed by the end of 2022, and it is unclear when production approvals at the potentially billion-dollar gas province will be finalised.

“I believe that we will have finalised consideration of the body of work around the hydraulic fracturing inquiry in coming weeks,” Ms Moss said.

“This is a pretty major body of work in terms of those recommendations and I think one of the final puzzle pieces in that 135 recommendations for consideration.

“We have always said that we would make sure that the work against those recommendations was completed by the end of the year, and that government would need that time then to consider it. We’re not going to rush this work, it needs to be done properly.”

Dr Alaric Fisher, the environment department’s executive director of flora and fauna who oversaw the 100 or so people who compiled the SREBA, said it filled knowledge gaps identified in the Pepper Inquiry around the Beetaloo Sub-basin.

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

“The (Pepper) inquiry laid out a recipe of all the information gaps that they saw that needeed to be filled before decisions could be made about hydraulic fracturing in the Territory and we’ve undertaken a systematic process to fill those gaps.”

Environment Centre NT director Kirsty Howey said the report showed Territorians don’t trust the gas industry or the NT government’s ability to regulate.

“It is very clear that Territorians do not want fracking,” Ms Howey said.

“They have a very low level of trust in the NT government, and in gas companies. But all the signs point to the government getting ready to rubber-stamp fracking and move to production.”

Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) director David Slama.

APPEA NT director David Slama said the SREBA shows the potential of the Beetaloo prospect to deliver real economic outcomes for the Territory.

“Numerous inquiries and reviews have established that any risks associated with hydraulic fracturing can be managed and these new reforms add further protections for groundwater to ensure the environment is protected,” he said.

“Today is the fifth anniversary of the moratorium on onshore development being lifted and APPEA continues to work with the government to finalise the implementation of the remaining Hydraulic Fracturing Inquiry recommendations as soon as possible.

“The NT has an immense opportunity to seize by progressing natural gas development, creating up to 6300 jobs, new revenue streams for governments and new energy supply for Australia’s east coast at a time of forecast shortfalls.”