NT fracking work to start against wishes of pastoralists and Aboriginal groups

Tamboran Resources is set to become the first Beetaloo Basin gas explorer to begin fracking activities on a NT cattle station without the consent of pastoralists and Aboriginal groups.

ASX-listed Tamboran Resources is set to become the first Beetaloo Basin gas explorer to begin fracking activities on a NT cattle station without the consent of pastoralists and Aboriginal groups.

Tamboran won the right to access Tanumbirini Station south of Katherine in a lengthy tribunal battle that saw the station operator, Rallen Australia, awarded 1000-fold less compensation than it once demanded, the Australian newspaper reports.

Methane is burnt off at a Santos well site on Tanumbirini Station. Picture: Supplied.

Tamboran’s subsidiary Sweetpea Petroleum notified Rallen that it planned to begin work at Tanumbirini on May 25 even though Rallen is appealing the tribunal’s decision.

Rallen maintains accessing the property would still be illegal because although Tamboran can now rightfully enter its exploration area, it can’t use Rallen’s station tracks or create new ones.

Rallen’s director, Pierre Langenhoven, told a Senate inquiry earlier this year that Beetaloo Basin gas exploration should not be “pursued at all” and the gas industry “cannot coexist” with any other industry.

Tanumbirini well pad at Tanumbirini Station. Picture: Supplied

Rallen, a vehicle of the wealthy Ravazzotti and Langenhoven families, has acquired more than a million hectares of Beetaloo Basin pastoral leases, mostly since an NT fracking moratorium was lifted, and now appears set on trying to block onshore gas development, the Australian reports.

Mr Langenhoven teamed up with traditional owners associated with the anti-fracking Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation to highlight Tamboran’s decision to start work at Tanumbirini.

He said it was “unprecedented in the NT that a fracking company is trying to force access onto a cattle station without the consent of pastoralists”.

“Pastoralists have no choice but to divert time and resources to protect what’s special to all of us who live and work here – our water, our land and our cattle industry,” he said.

Revamped NT Govt backs ‘critically important’ Beetaloo

THE revamped Territory government has reaffirmed NT Labor’s commitment to developing the Beetaloo Basin gas resource.

New Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said developing the Beetaloo fields was a priority for the Labor government.

The strong showing by Greens and climate-focused independent candidates at the weekend’s federal election has brought Beetaloo back into sharp political focus.

While the federal ALP supported the Coalition government’s push to develop Beetaloo, Greens leader Adam Bandt stated there should be no new gas fields developed in Australia.

“We’ll be saying very clearly we need action on coal and gas,” Mr Bandt said.

“That has got to be the priority and in particular you can’t be opening up new gas and coal mines.

“You can’t put the fire out by pouring petrol on to it.”

It remains unclear to what extent that core belief will drive Greens negotiations over the passage of legislation through the Senate with the new Labor government.

The Coalition invested tens of millions of dollars to assist gas exploration at Beetaloo and both the Territory’s major political parties have committed to the project, which could attract thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue.

The project is a key part of the Northern Territory government’s push to develop a $40bn economy by 2040.

“I said last week our policy positions have not changed,” Ms Fyles said.

“The one thing that the Northern Territory needs is stability.

“My government will be about delivering for all Territorians. We have to get these key economic projects out of the ground. We have an opportunity to diversify our economy away from the boom and bust cycle that has plagued us for too long, but equally deal with those social challenges.”

Deputy Chief Minister and Mining and Industry Minister Nicole Manison agrees.

“We’ve been working closely with Labor when they were in opposition and they understand how critically important the development of the Beetaloo is, and the gas industry,” Ms Manison said.

“We’ve seen (that) with the uncertainty because of the war in Ukraine, the issues around energy prices and getting the energy that Australia needs.

“And it’s important also to recognise that ... gas is an important fuel of transition, because we aren’t going to go to renewable energy overnight.”

Environment Centre NT co-director Kirsty Howey predicted the Beetaloo would not be developed.

“The new Chief Minister needs to come to terms with the fact that Beetaloo is just a bust, there won’t be a boom,” Dr Howey said.

“Fracking the Beetaloo Basin is economic madness, with taxpayers footing the bill with billions of dollars in subsidies to prop up a dying industry and a high risk of stranded assets as the renewables industry leaves the gas industry in its wake.

“Clean water and healthy country will underpin thousands more jobs than the Beetaloo ever will.”

A spokesman for Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said federal Labor’s position “hasn’t changed”.

Previously Senator McCarthy opposed Commonwealth grants to fund gas exploration in the Beetaloo.