Four days after threatening rolling power blackouts for Top End residents over the holidays, Mining and Energy Minister Gerard Maley held a press conference inside Parliament House on Tuesday to announce his government will “save the Territory” by approving an application from Beetaloo Energy (formerly Empire Energy) to sell “appraisal” gas back to the government.
The test gas, that is produced during the exploration phrase, will now be purchased by the NT Government at an undisclosed cost, instead of being flared. Gas is expected to start flowing into the local market by the second half of next year, but it remains unclear how much will be produced by then.
The Beetaloo gas province is not viable without massive government support. The gas industry runs the NT – a massage here, a squeeze there. The government is so over- exposed it cannot say “no”! What deals have also been done with Tamboran and at what cost to taxpayers?
Good question Charlie. The lack of transparency by the Northern Territory Government is disappointing, substandard and not best practice.