Oil spill at Darwin Ichthys LNG plant as revised emissions data shows massive under-reporting

A major gas plant on Darwin harbour has reported a 36,000 litre oil spill just days after admitting to under-calculating toxic emissions from the facility by a staggering 13,400 per cent.

Darwin's Ichthys LNG plant reported an oil spill on October 12.

Japanese gas giant Inpex has reported an oil spill at its Darwin facility, just days after admitting to under-calculating toxic emissions by 13,400 per cent.

According to the NT Environment Department, 36,000 litres of heating medium fluid spilt from one of the liquefied natural gas processing units at the Ichthys facility on Darwin harbour on October 12.

Due to heavy rainfall, about 1000 litres of that oil went into a stormwater drain and beyond the facility fence towards mangroves bordering the harbour.

Department officers investigated, and confirmed Inpex was using absorbent pads and sucker trucks near the mangroves to clean up the spill.

Water samples returned on Monday found no contamination.

Heating medium oil has low environmental persistence, meaning it degrades quickly.

It comes after Inpex last week revealed it had been under-reporting toxic emissions from the Ichthys facility since it opened in 2018.

Revised figures, published on Thursday, show massive increases to the levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) released at the site 10km from Darwin City.

Emissions of benzene, a cancer causing compound linked to leukaemia, jumped from 4.12 tonnes reported in 2023-24, to 556.9 tonnes – an increase of more than 13,400 per cent.

Total VOCs jumped from 1618.83 tonnes reported over the same period to 3562.3 tonnes.

Inpex assured Territorians VOC emissions remained within government guidelines. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Inpex assured Territorians the pollution remained “well within” government guidelines, “meaning no increased health risk to the community, our local workforce or the environment from the Ichthys LNG facility”.

It said Darwin benzene air quality levels were at least five times lower than the threshold that triggered an investigation (0.003 parts per million).

“Inpex takes full accountability for these unintentional errors which have been reported to the NT Environment Protection Authority (EPA),” a statement on its website said.

Emissions calculations for previous years were under review.

An Inpex spokeswoman said the company was also working closely with the NT EPA and specialist contractors to undertake sampling and impact assessment of the oil spill.

She said the majority of the oil was kept within sealed surfaces on site, and successfully cleaned up.

“At Inpex, we are firmly committed to the safety of our people, protection of the environment and the ongoing safe operations of Ichthys LNG,” she said.