The fantastic five: Middle Arm anchor companies named

The NT government has announced the first five proponents to set up base at Middle Arm. Read who’s moving in.

Activation of the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct could mean up to 20,000 additional jobs and billions in capital investment in the Northern Territory.

The government on Friday announced five companies have been given ‘not to deal’ commitments over land at the precinct.

The five proponents will then have up to 12 months to determine whether to proceed with their particular project.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said development at Middle Arm would deliver environmental and economic benefits.

Treasurer Eva Lawler, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison announce the first five companies to establish at Middle Arm sustainable development precinct.

“Middle Arm is about building the Territory’s future. This is about new sources of renewable and low-emissions energy, new investment, new industries, and most importantly, new jobs for Territorians,” she said.

“I can give you 20,000 good reasons why this is important. This will create new, permanent, long-term jobs for the Territory, and that’s what matters to me. Clean energy jobs are the future, and that’s the future we’re building for the Territory.

“We’re absolutely committed to growing our economy while also transitioning to net zero emissions, and Middle Arm will play a huge part in that transition.

“This is what responsibly decarbonising and diversifying our economy looks like.

“We’ve always said that sustainability will be at the core of Middle Arm, and our focus on clean energy demonstrates that. An environmental strategic assessment is under way now for the entire precinct.

“A lot of nonsense gets spouted about Middle Arm, but today’s announcement shows the Territory, investors and the rest of the country just how committed my government is to making this a reality.”

French renewable energy operator TEH2, 100 per cent owned by Total Eren and a global independent power producer, wants to develop a green hydrogen production facility using solar energy. The project is capable of producing more than 80,000 tonnes of renewables-based hydrogen per annum for domestic and export potential.

As predicted by this publication, Fortescue Future Industries is also signed on, with the global green energy company proposing to develop a green hydrogen hub, comprised of green hydrogen and green ammonia production and export facilities.

Critical minerals outfit Tivan wants to produce vanadium oxides through application of innovative downstream processing technology using feedstock sourced from Tivan’s Speewah and Mount Peake Projects, with titanium dioxide and iron oxide also produced as by-products.

Tivan is also working to facilitate an industrialisation pathway for vanadium redox flow batteries.

Middle Arm by air October 2022. Picture by Wayne Zerbe

Natural gas operator Tamboran Resources Limited wants to establish a lower CO2 emissions liquefied natural gas export facility.

Gas from this export facility is expected to play an important role in the decarbonisation plans of our neighbours and trading partners in Asia and beyond.

Critical minerals company Avenira is proposing a lithium-ferro-phosphatecathode manufacturing facility at Middle Arm, which will manufacture precursor battery cathode materials from critical minerals, including phosphate sourced from the Wonarah Project in the Northern Territory.

Inpex, which is already based at Middle Arm, announced on Wednesday it would team up with the CSIRO to explore the potential for a hydrogen market in Darwin.

The MASDP is 1500ha of industrial land designed to drive industry, exports, job creation and population growth in the Northern Territory.

Andrew Forrest pictured at Fortescue Metals’ new Iron Bridge magnetite project last month.

About 500ha, or about a third of available land at Middle Arm, has been given over to this first tranche of projects.

Three of the projects will be on land under the jurisdiction of the Land Development Corporation and two of those are on NT government Crown Land. It could be at least two years before major headworks begin there, bankrolled in part by a $1.5bn Commonweatlh government contribution.

Long earmarked for industrial development, despite pressure from environmentalists who want to retain the area as wilderness, the federal government views Middle Arm as Australia’s next sustainable development and industrial hub.

Grant Wilson chief executive Tivan

Two of the companies impacted by today’s decision have welcomed Friday’s announcement.

The board of Tivan released a statement welcoming the announcement and the Middle Arm precinct’s capacity to generate sustainable economic developments.

“In contributing to sustainable economic development in the Territory, Tivan’s baseline workforce plan budgets for approximately 1500 jobs during the construction phase and 1000 permanent jobs over the ultra-long life of our major project,” the statement said.

Tamboran has been granted exclusivity over 170ha at Middle Arm for Northern Territory LNG (NTLNG), a proposed LNG development. The 12-month ‘do not deal’ will allow Tamboran to test viability of the planned development.

Tamboran’s statement said it plans to develop an initial capacity 6.6m tonne LNG plant, with potential for expansion, provisional on completion of a concept select study, gas supply and flows and government approvals.