NT exploration update

Part of an article today from NT about baseline assessments only in the Beetaloo basin over the next 3 to 5 years.

The Member for Araluen was questioning the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources Lauren Moss and departmental officials around the Strategic Resource and Environmental Baseline Assessments that need to be done before production of fracked gas can occur.

“These assessments take between three and five years and must be undertaken prior to the grant of any production licence for onshore shale gas,” Ms Lambley said.

“The Estimates hearing was told that no other baseline environmental assessment was planned in the NT, and therefore fracking will be contained in the Beetaloo basin for the next three to five years. I was shocked to find this out.

“I would have thought the Government would have started a range of these baseline assessments across the Territory to prepare for greater exploration and production.”

Gas industry sources said Ms Lambley’s call for more assessments made sense because there are a number of prospective onshore gas areas beyond Beetaloo.