Northern Territory to Amend Petroleum Bill

Northern Territory government on Thursday passed legislation that will enable the introduction of new regulations for onshore gas.

According to the government, the Petroleum (Environment) Regulations are intended to deliver best-practice regulatory system for the state. The government said it supports the responsible development of an onshore oil and gas industry that has the potential to provide significant, long term economic benefits 

The object of these regulations is to ensure that regulated activities are carried out in a manner consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development and environmental impacts and environmental risks of the activities will be reduced to a level that is “as low as reasonably practicable” and “acceptable”.

Companies would be required to submit an environment management plan relating to the activity.

“A plan may be submitted for approval only after the interest holder has carried out stakeholder engagement in relation to the regulated activity to which the plan relates,” the government said.

The new regulations will be available for public consultation.

Commenting on the development country’s top oil and gas industry body Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) said the bill will allow the government to address gaps in the current regulatory framework identified by independent experts Dr Alan Hawke and Dr Tina Hunter.

APPEA has been urging the government to increase new investment in onshore gas projects in order to generate more jobs and revenues.