Santos NSW

Monthly Activities Update

January 2025

Welcome to the January issue of our Monthly Activities Update for NSW – our first for 2025.

Narrabri Gas

Natural gas is an essential part of NSW’s energy mix and its ongoing production is required to ensure safe, reliable and affordable energy well into the future. Santos has committed 100 per cent of gas from its Narrabri Gas Project to the domestic market. Once completed, the project is expected to supply up to half of the state’s natural gas needs, delivering energy security for the region and putting downward pressure on gas and electricity prices for households, manufacturers and businesses.

Update: Narrabri Gas Project

The Narrabri Gas Project (NGP) involves the development and production of natural gas near Narrabri and around the Pilliga. The initial stages of the project involved the development of appraisal wells which are already delivering gas to the Wilga Park Power Station.

The Wilga Park Power Station has an electricity generation capacity of 22 megawatts, enough to power 32,000 households across northwest NSW. Production this month has been steady.

If you would like more information about any of these activities, 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

Drilling activities

There are no drilling activities planned to be undertaken at this time. Santos is planning to undertake well maintenance on five pilot wells during the coming months.

Pilot wells

Bibblewindi East, Bibblewindi West and Dewhurst South, Tintsfield and Kahlua wells are online.

Leewood

Santos does not need to irrigate at this time and water is stored in the holding ponds at Leewood.

Wilga Park Power Station

Wilga Park Power Station is online.

Other activities

Groundwater monitoring activities for Environmental Protection Licence compliance are ongoing.

PEL 1

Kahlua pilot construction works were completed in accordance with the Review of Environmental Factors and the wells are now online. To view the approval, please click here.

Update: PEL 1 Kahlua area activities

Santos is seeking approval from the NSW government to operate the four existing Kahlua pilot wells in PEL 1, approximately 20km west of Gunnedah, for a further two years to ensure that the data required to fully access resource potential is obtained. Minor civil and construction works, including the possible installation of a small solar array to provide power to the wells, are also proposed.

Santos is committed to building strong and positive relationships with landholders and the community. We are continuing to consult with community members and organisations, including landholders, about the proposed activities.

Your feedback is important to us. If you wish to have any comments or input on this proposal, please email energy.nsw@santos.com by 9 February 2025. Feedback received from stakeholders will be addressed in the Review of Environmental Factors that will be submitted to the NSW Government for approval.

Hunter Gas Pipeline and Narrabri Lateral Pipeline Activities

Hunter Gas Pipeline

Santos is proposing to deliver natural gas from Narrabri to the east coast domestic market via two pipelines – the Hunter Gas Pipeline (HGP) and the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline (NLP).

Both the HGP and NLP are underground natural gas pipelines that will facilitate the transmission of gas from Narrabri to Hexham - a distance of approximately 400km. We’re currently working to finalise the pipeline’s exact location and are seeking feedback from landholders along the proposed route so that we can take into consideration their preferences, as well as potential technical constraints, environmental and cultural heritage considerations.

As such, survey activities are continuing on both public and private land to finalise the alignment.

Our land access team continues to liaise with landholders along the route to progress discussions regarding the alignment, and to negotiate survey and deed of option agreements. We encourage landholders to engage with our land access advisors to ensure any feedback, questions or concerns can be addressed as part of the process to finalise the pipeline alignment. Landholders can contact our land access team at any time on 1300 427 546 or via email at info@huntergaspipeline.com.au.

The Authority to Survey (ATS) that the NSW Government granted to Santos on 13 January 2023 (and extended in September 2024) will no longer be required for 381 lots along the HGP pipeline alignment. In early January, Santos wrote to the Minister to formally remove the lots from the ATS and to relevant landholders along the HGP alignment advising them accordingly.

Construction of the first early works site is complete, with works on a second site now well underway. Construction is expected to be completed soon.

For more information, please visit the HGP website

Narrabri Lateral Pipeline

To connect the NGP to the HGP, Santos is progressing plans for the underground Narrabri Lateral Pipeline (NLP). The proposed pipeline will provide the ‘missing link’ between the NGP and HGP, to allow for the transmission of natural gas to the existing NSW natural gas transmission network near Newcastle.

Santos is currently working to finalise the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project.

Cultural heritage surveys continue along the NLP alignment with the most recent survey undertaken this month.

This month, Santos hosted members of the Gomeroi applicant group for a tour of our current operations and the proposed NLP alignment. The tour offered a valuable opportunity to update members of the group about the proposed pipeline and related activities.

Santos recently referred the NLP project to the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) in November 2024. The Minister for Environment and Water will assess the application and decide whether the project needs assessment and approval under the EPBC Act. Click here to view the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline EPBC Act Referral 2024/10050

Community Consultation

Community Information Sessions

Santos is planning another round of HGP/NLP community information sessions.

These sessions will be held in March. Details will be advertised in next month's update, on our HGP website and in regional newspapers.

Community information sessions offer landholders, stakeholders and interested community members the opportunity to speak directly to Santos staff about the Hunter Gas Pipeline, Narrabri Lateral Pipeline or any other NSW Santos project of interest. These sessions are an important part of our commitment to transparency and collaboration with all of the communities in which we operate, and your feedback plays a vital role in shaping decisions and outcomes.

You don’t have to wait for a scheduled community information session to connect with us. Our project team is available by phone or email to discuss our work in your area - feel free to reach out, and we can arrange to meet at a time convenient to you. You can give us a call on (02) 6790 9235.

Community Consultative Committee and Advisory Groups

A condition of the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) consent for the NGP is the establishment and operation of a Community Consultative Committee (CCC) and Advisory Groups in accordance with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment Community Consultative Committee Guideline: State Significant Projects.

Mr. Garry West was appointed to the position of Independent Chair of the CCC and Advisory Groups.  

The purpose of a CCC is to provide a forum for discussion between a proponent and representatives of the community, stakeholder groups and local councils on issues directly relating to a specific state significant project.

The next meeting of the Narrabri Gas Project Community Consultative Committee is scheduled for Tuesday 18th March 2025. 

NGP CCC Minutes are available here

The Advisory Groups include:  

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Group 
Biodiversity Advisory Group 
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Advisory Group 
Water Technical Advisory Group

Minutes from advisory group meetings are available here.

Community Partnerships

A Year in Review - Santos in the Community in 2024

Image: Santos in the Community 2024 infographic

We work closely with community organisations, local councils and business partners to identify opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the communities where we operate.

Last year, Santos spent more than $9.3 million across Narrabri and Gunnedah shires, helping to deliver numerous beneficial outcomes in the local area.

Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund Presentation Ceremony

Image: Santos in attendance at the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund Ceremony

Santos is proud to partner with the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund for a second year, providing two students with scholarships valued at $1,000 each.

Cameron Neader and John Mark Villegas received the Santos STEM scholarships, which will help support their studies at the University of Newcastle.

The Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund is a community-based initiative supporting young people in Gunnedah to pursue further education.

Scholarships assist with study-related costs such as textbooks, relocation, travel, living expenses and tuition fees.

Delivering fresh food hampers in Narrabri

Image: Santos supporting local business to support the local community

Over the holiday season, we helped deliver locally sourced fresh food hampers across the community to spread festive cheer. We loved being a part of this joint initiative with the Narrabri Local Aboriginal Land Council and other local businesses.

Supporting local cricket and bringing communities together

Image: (L-R) Pink Up Namoi charity cricket match, Narrabri; Santos Shield Presentation at Quirindi

Sport is key to the social fabric and wellbeing of communities and this month we helped celebrate the Quirindi District Cricket Association’s 25^th Super 8's Cricket Carnival. The event not only helps promote a healthy lifestyle but also social inclusion and connection through participation. The winners of the 2025 carnival were the Flint Tropics, who were presented with the Santos Shield and can now boast back-back victories.

We were also thrilled to support the Narrabri and District Cricket Association’s Town vs Country Charity Cup, held late last year. The event raised more than $10,000 for the McGrath Foundation – helping to provide expert nursing care and support for people impacted by breast cancer.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported, donated and participated in both of these events.