Arabic version: هيئة حماية البيئة في الإقليم الشمالي تدعو إلى قواعد أشد صرامة لمحطات غاز داروين
According to ABC News, the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority has recommended stricter environmental licence conditions for Darwin gas processing companies Santos and Inpex after a review prompted by Inpex’s substantial under-reporting of toxic emissions.
The review calls for pollution limits, restrictions on hot venting and continuous emissions monitoring. It was launched after Inpex disclosed it had drastically under-reported toxic emissions, including benzene, from its Ichthys LNG plant on Darwin Harbour. Independent consultants in March found widespread failures in Inpex’s emissions calculations and reporting dating to the start of production in 2018.
NTEPA chairman Paul Vogel said the existing licences were among the strictest in Australia but required improvement because the facilities are about 6 kilometres from Darwin city and may expand. He said the territory should have a “world-class regulatory regime” and that greater transparency was needed in reporting and in information available to the community. The review contains 23 recommendations, including enforceable pollution limits, requirements to maintain a high level of pollution-control equipment and regular audits.
Environment Centre NT climate campaigner Bree Ahrens welcomed the action but said the recommendations retained “gaping holes”. She raised concerns that they did not limit flaring or cap the time acid gas incinerators could be out of service. The review instead recommends that the systems be operational 99.5 per cent of the time. Documents submitted to a 2024 Senate inquiry showed Inpex’s incinerators had been out of service for extended periods since 2019.
Mr Vogel said the recommendations would not be watered down and that full implementation could take up to 12 months if both companies endorsed them. Inpex senior vice-president Bill Townsend said the company was working with the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment to assess what potential requirements could mean for its operations. Santos was contacted for comment.
