Santos all clear on methane claims as ECNT face “catastrophic failure” questions

NT Environment Centre has been asked to explain how long it took to reveal details of a potential “catastrophic” methane leak failure.

Significant Northern Territory energy player Santos has moved to put a lid on hysteria generated around reports of a methane leak at the company’s Darwin LNG facility.

The Barossa gas operator and key industry player was the focus of an article by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Environment Centre NT this week for a heritage leak at the 19-year old gas asset.

The ABC and ECNT claimed the leak posed a risk to air quality, human health and possible “catastrophic failure”.

Santos LNG plant

The article focused on a design flaw at the Darwin LNG tank that has seen methane leaking from the facility for the past 20 years.

The leak was first detected by the site’s previous owners ConocoPhillips in September 2019, with the cause of the leak traced back to a design fault identified in 2006.

Santos acquired the site in mid-2020.

NT EPA this week acknowledged the leak, pointing out fugitive emissions occured at all LNG facilities, but that the Darwin plant was safe.

In a statement to the NT News this week, Santos too confirmed the facility was safe.

“The Darwin LNG storage tank operated safely for the 18 years up to the Darwin Life Extension project shutdown,” a Santos spokesman said.

“It is regulated by NT WorkSafe and operates under an approved safety case.

“During the Darwin Life Extension project, Santos and independent third-party experts conducted a comprehensive inspection program of the tank and confirmed that it remains fit and safe for service for the life of the Barossa gas project.

“All regulatory approvals are in place and an ongoing monitoring program is in place.

“Santos reports all its greenhouse gas emissions annually, including from DLNG, under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme.”

ECNT’s poster belied the risk of “catastrophic failure” at the Darwin LNG plant.

Earlier this week, in response to claims by an Environment Centre NT figure the leak was a “national scandal” that could have led to a “catastrophic failure”, NTEPA chairman Dr Paul Vogel attempted to add context to the debate.

He said the emissions were equivalent to one per cent of Santos’ facility’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions and about 0.1 per cent of the NT emissions.

“The NT EPA is aware of fugitive methane leaks from the Santos LNG tank,” Dr Vogel said. “Fugitive emissions occur at all LNG facilities however, the cause of the emissions from the DLNG tank is unique to this facility.

“The NT EPA did not report the leak to the public because at these levels they do not pose any risk of explosion and negligible risk to human health or the environment.”

The NT News has reached out to Environment Centre NT for details on how long after they uncovered details of the leak that they made the information public.

Within hours of the ABC releasing the story, ECNT figures began to pose alongside large, commercially printed banners protesting about the leak.