Applications open for new Hunter Gas Pipeline Community Reference Groups

Image: The project is progressing through final approvals, no pipeline construction has commenced

Welcome to the latest edition of the NSW Monthly Activities Update - I hope it finds you well and enjoying the last long days of summer.

With the year now well underway, Santos is working to progress key components of our NSW projects - with a particular focus on delivering geotechnical surveys, submitting our pipeline licence application and a new stakeholder engagement forum for the Hunter Gas Project (HGP). 

As an Australian-owned company which has worked in partnership with local communities for more than 70 years, Santos is committed to providing our stakeholders with accurate and timely information about our operations.  In line with this commitment, I'm pleased to confirm we're strengthening our relationship with pipeline communities in 2026 through the establishment of three new advisory groups.

The HGP Community Reference Groups will provide a forum for meaningful engagement between Santos and local stakeholders on issues directly related to development of the project - including potential impacts, community concerns, jobs and business opportunities. 

While much of our engagement to date has focused on addressing individual landholder concerns around issues such as pipeline alignment and access, as we're nearing the construction phase, broader community interest is increasing.  With this in-mind, Santos wants to facilitate respectful two-way discussion with those stakeholders to ensure we're meeting community expectations around consultation and transparency. 

If participating in these groups is of interest to you or someone you know, I encourage you to scan the QR code in the advertisement below or visit our website www.huntergaspipeline.com.au/community to find out more.  You are also welcome to contact our team at the Narrabri Shopfront on 02 6792 9035 if you have specific questions or concerns.

I'm confident the new reference groups will yield some constructive discussions and I look forward to meeting with the new group members very soon.

Andrew Snars - Santos NSW Manager Community

Natural gas plays a vital role in our local energy mix, helping to generate the electricity that powers our homes, businesses and everyday lives. It is also crucial feedstock in industrial processes for making products like textiles, plastics and fertilisers. It will continue to be a key component in the state’s transition to a lower carbon energy future, producing approximately half the emissions of coal.  

The growth of renewable energy sources like solar and wind means that maintaining a stable and reliable power grid is increasingly important. Gas-fired generators offer critical support by quickly ramping up during periods of high demand or when renewable sources are unable to meet energy needs – such as when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Natural gas provides the flexibility and reliability essential to ensure a smooth transition to a more sustainable energy system. 

More than 1.5 million households and 50,000 small businesses in NSW are connected to gas networks, and about one-third of small customers use gas to meet part of their energy needs. Despite having significant undeveloped gas resources, NSW imports 100 per cent of its gas from interstate. 

The NGP involves the development and production of natural gas near Narrabri. The project represents a significant step forward in securing New South Wales’ energy future and Santos has committed 100 per cent of this gas to the domestic market, with the potential to supply up to half of the state’s natural gas needs. With gas shortfalls predicted, the NGP offers an opportunity for NSW to harness its own energy resources, delivering energy security for the region and putting downward pressure on gas and electricity prices. 

If you would like more information about this project, please contact our team via email at Energy.NSW@santos.com or give us a call on (02) 6790 9235. You can also visit the NGP website. 

Santos is proposing to deliver natural gas from Narrabri to the east coast domestic market via two new underground pipelines - the Hunter Gas Pipeline and the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline. Survey activities are currently underway on private and public land as Santos works to confirm the pipeline route.  Learn more about these projects on our website. 

Geotechnical surveys underway in the Upper Hunter

Image: The geotechnical surveys will unearth important geological data to inform the pipeline design

We have recently started geotechnical ("geotech") surveys along the HGP route.

A geotech survey is a way to gather information on the soil and rock conditions along the proposed pipeline corridor.  These surveys help us to understand what's beneath the ground so we can design the pipeline safely and plan construction accordingly. 

At selected locations, crews may undertake shallow geotech investigations or drill a narrow borehole to take samples from deeper underground.  Deeper boreholes are typically required at locations where specialised construction methods may be used to avoid impacting the surface. Each survey point is returned to its original state once the work is completed, with soil refilled into the small, temporary excavation.

Each survey location usually takes between one and four days to complete, depending on how deep samples need to be taken.  Equipment may include a small or medium drill rig mounted on a truck or trucks, a small excavator and light vehicles. 

Initial works will centre around the Scone, Aberdeen and Muswellbrook areas.  Surveys will continue progressively along the HGP route until late 2026.

If you have any questions about geotechnical surveys on your property, please contact our Narrabri Shopfront on 02 6792 9035.

Landholder information: pipeline easements explained

If you're a landholder who will host the pipeline on your property, this section addresses common questions and clarifies misconceptions about how easements work.

Myth: There is a common misconception that landholders will not be able to fence over the pipeline easement.

Fact: Fencing is allowed over the easement and we encourage landholders to talk to Santos about their specific fencing requirements. The easement does not need to be fenced or gated (except where it crosses the boundary between properties). 

Santos has produced a factsheet which addresses some of the common myths surrounding the Hunter Gas Pipeline - click the link below to find out more.

Animation: Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)

Have you heard the term 'Horizontal Directional Drilling' but are unsure what it involves? Santos has developed an animation of the HDD process - click here to learn more.

Community Consultative Committee and advisory groups

The next Narrabri Gas Project Community Consultative Committee (CCC) meeting will be held on Tuesday 17 March 2026.  Minutes from previous CCC meetings are available here. 

The Aboriginal and Cultural Heritage, Biodiversity, Greenhouse Gas and Water Advisory Group meetings were held on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 December.  Minutes from the advisory group meetings can be accessed here.