The NT Independent is providing an update of resource news from across the Northern Territory. Highlights this week include Tamboran signing MOUs to sell Beetaloo Basin LNG to major players, MetalsGrove Mining concluding its initial drilling at Bruce rare earths prospect, Melbana Energy announcing maiden prospective resource estimate for its Hudson prospect, and more.

Tamboran to produce Beetaloo gas next year

Tamboran Resources (TBN) expects to deliver production gas from its Beetaloo Basin gas field next year, signing two MOUs with BP and Shell to buy millions of tonnes of LNG a year over the next two decades, the company said.

TBN expects to supply gas to the NT, Australia’s eastern states, and export LNG worldwide. Beetaloo Basin’s gas size and quality is expected to be comparable to that of the Marcellus shale gas reservoir in the US—the world’s biggest and most productive shale gas basin.

“The potential here is to supply Australia’s undersupplied eastern states and to export LNG internationally out of Darwin, via the Company’s recently announced 6.6 MTPA Northern Territory LNG development,” TBN CEO Joel Riddle said.

TBN last month signed agreements with BP (Singapore) and Shell (Eastern Trading) for the purchase of 2.2 million tonnes of LNG each year for the next 20 years once LNG production starts. The company also has a local gas sales agreement with Origin Energy.

MetalsGrove concludes initial drilling at Bruce rare earths prospect

MetalsGrove Mining Ltd (MGA) has finished its first reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Bruce Rare Earth Element (REE) Prospect, which is part of MGA’s Arunta Project in the Northern Territory. The company disclosed that the program is both running on time and budget. Initial results from this maiden drilling program are expected to be reported to the market within the next six weeks.

A total of 16 RC holes were drilled to test several high-priority targets including identified multiple carbonatite and REE-bearing drill targets recently reported from soil sampling.

Melbana Energy announces maiden prospective resource estimate for Hudson prospect

Melbana Energy (MAY) has announced a maiden prospective resource for its Hudson prospect in the Northern Territory. MAY believes it could produce up to 395 million barrels of oil, and more than two billion cubic feet of gas. The company noted it used a “probabilistic” method to arrive at the estimate.

The maiden resource also marks something of a sea change for Melbana Energy, which has been trying to produce oil from Cuba for the last few years, with mixed success.

Avenira furthers agreements for the upcoming LFP battery manufacturing facility

Avenira Ltd has extended its memorandum of agreements with Advanced Lithium Electrochemistry (Aleees), and the Northern Territory Government for the development of downstream manufacturing of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cathode material.

The MoA extends to June 2024 an earlier agreement that was signed last year between the company, Aleees, and the NT Government regarding a collaboration to develop the manufacturing facility in Darwin at the proposed Middle Arm Industrial Precinct.

“The extension of time in both MOUs demonstrates the continuing support of the Northern Territory Government and Aleees with this significant LFP cathode project in Darwin,” Avenira’s chairman and chief executive officer Brett Clark said.

An agreement between Avenira and Aleees was also signed in September 2022 outlining Avenira’s plans to construct the LFP battery cathode manufacturing facility and source phosphoric acid feed from its Wonarah Phosphate project in the NT.