Acting Chief Minister and Minister for Mining and Energy Gerard Maley will travel to Sydney this week to champion the next chapter of the Beetaloo Sub-basin at the Energy Nation Forum.
The Forum brings together industry leaders and policymakers from around the country to discuss the nation’s energy future.
The Beetaloo is not just a Territory opportunity, it’s a national opportunity. The Finocchiaro CLP Government will continue to support bringing more Australian gas into the market to strengthen energy security, support economic growth and increase the supply of affordable and reliable energy.
Acting Chief Minister and Minister for Mining and Energy Gerard Maley will travel to Sydney today to represent the Northern Territory at the Energy Nation Forum on Wednesday, taking the Territory’s message directly to national industry leaders and policymakers as momentum continues to build behind the Beetaloo Sub-basin.
Minister Maley said the Beetaloo was entering a new chapter, following the recent milestone of first gas production, and it was important to keep the Sub-basin firmly in the national conversation as Australia considers its future energy needs.
“The Beetaloo is no longer a future opportunity, it is a producing resource that is already delivering jobs, investment and economic benefits for Territorians,” Minister Maley said.
“My message in Sydney is simple: the Beetaloo is not just a Territory opportunity, it’s a national opportunity. By bringing more Australian gas into the market, we can strengthen energy security, support economic growth and help increase supply of reliable, affordable energy produced domestically.
“It is vital that we keep the Beetaloo on the national agenda, so all levels of government and industry fully appreciate the scale of this opportunity, and we continue to attract the investment needed to unlock its full potential.”
The CLP Finocchiaro Government is already supporting this next phase through the proposed Territory Energy Link, a 670-kilometre multi-user infrastructure corridor designed to provide a coordinated pathway for future gas, water and telecommunications infrastructure between the Beetaloo Sub-basin and Darwin.
The project is expected to be pipeline-ready by 2028 and will support the Government’s target of producing 1,000 terajoules of gas per day from the Beetaloo by 2030. Pipeline company AGIG has recently signalled its intent to build a 700km pipeline in the Territory Energy Link.
Recent major pipeline proposals have further strengthened confidence in the Basin’s future.
APA Group is advancing the planning and approvals process for its proposed 1,600-kilometre North to East Australia Pipeline, which would connect the Beetaloo Sub-basin directly to APA’s east coast gas network and open access to customers across eastern and southern Australia, while Jemena has announced its intention to apply for a 400km lateral pipeline permit as it furthers plans to connect Beetaloo production to the existing Northern Gas Pipeline network.
Minister Maley said these developments demonstrated growing industry confidence in both the resource and the Northern Territory as a place to invest.
“Projects of this scale happen when governments provide stable policy settings, clear regulation and certainty for investors,” he said.
“The Territory is doing its part by creating the conditions for investment and infrastructure development. What we need now is continued support for new supply and the infrastructure that gets that gas to Australian homes, businesses and manufacturers.”
Minister Maley said the Territory would continue advocating strongly for the Beetaloo as a nation-building project capable of delivering reliable energy for decades to come.
“By connecting Beetaloo gas to Australian markets, we can help secure the energy Australia needs while creating jobs, attracting investment and growing the Northern Territory economy.”
