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Narrabri Gas Project (PEL 238)
Activities Update
October 2023
Welcome to the October issue of the Narrabri Gas Project (PEL238) Monthly Activity Update for 2023. There’s been lots of exciting news and events in the Narrabri region over the past month, read on to find out what’s been happening in the Narrabri Gas Project area.
Community Investment Program Highlights
Narrabri Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
The 2023 Santos Narrabri Chamber of Commerce Business Awards were held recently showcasing the many talents and achievements of the Narrabri business community.
Santos' Brett Darley, Executive Vice President Eastern Australia and PNG and Glenn Watt, Vice President Upstream Development Queensland and NSW joined the local Community Team along with 300+ guests to celebrate the 17th annual awards. As the sole distinguished awards program in the region, the initiative provide tangible and significant advantages to the Narrabri business sector, celebrating accomplishments across diverse categories.
The awards celebration saw 32 businesses honoured across the 17 categories. The Customer Service Award was presented by Glenn Watt recognising businesses that have shown exceptional customer service in the district. The evening concluded with Business of the Year presented by Brett Darley, which acknowledged the overall winner from all categories. SierraTek Global, a local business supplying electrical engineering, automation and control services to industry across Australia and abroad was this years recipient.
This is the first year Santos has partnered as major sponsors with the Narrabri Business Chamber for the awards. Santos is proud to support these awards and we value the contribution that thriving local businesses play in the overall wellbeing of the community. The Narrabri community has a very bright future with an abundance of quality agricultural land, natural resources and people who have a vision for success.
Image: Narrabri Chamber Business Awards and the Santos team
Community Engagement
Lady Bowlers Site Tour
Seventeen Lady Bowlers, hailing from as far as Newcastle, recently joined the Narrabri Community Team to embark on an insightful tour of the Narrabri Gas Project (NGP). A day dedicated to understanding our operations and the intricacies of the project.
The group visited a well site, Bibblewindi compression facilities, Leewood water treatment plant and Wilga Park Power Station. Due to travel restrictions during Covid, this tour has been a few years in the making. We are very appreciative that the ladies finally made it to Narrabri and from all reports they thoroughly enjoyed the tour and learnt a lot about CSG and the NGP.
Image: Lady Bowlers at Wilga Park Power Station
Community Information Drop-in Sessions
Santos hosted seven community information drop-in sessions and two pop-up stalls at various locations along the pipeline route during October. The pop-up stalls were held in prominent public locations and gave members of the community an opportunity to come and chat with staff and learn about our projects. Approximately 70 stakeholders dropped in to ask questions and meet with the team at these sessions. Visitors ranged from directly and indirectly affected landholders, interested community members, contractors and suppliers, and representatives from various key community and stakeholder groups. Santos also took the opportunity to meet with a number of local councils along the alignment between sessions to provide a project update
Operations Update
Drilling activities
Santos continues to drill shallow water monitoring bores in accordance with project approvals.
Santos will continue the workover program through Q3 and Q4 2023.
Pilot wells
Bibblewindi East, Bibblewindi West and Dewhurst South and Tintsfield 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
The Wilga Park Power Station is online.
Other activities
Groundwater monitoring activities for Environmental Protection Licence compliance are ongoing.
Ecological surveys are underway to support the NGP, HGP and NLP projects.
As the previous operator of petroleum exploration licence (PEL) 456, Santos is required to undertake decommissioning works to finalise the rehabilitation of the Brawboy 2 well. The decommissioning works were recently completed in accordance with strict regulatory requirements to ensure the safe removal of our infrastructure. Final rehabilitation of the site is ongoing.
PEL 1
In accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021, on 12 January 2023, Santos lodged with the NSW Resources Regulator an application to conduct exploration activities for assessable prospecting operations, PEL 1 – Kahlua Pilot Reactivation including a Review of Environmental Factors.
This application has been reviewed and approved by the NSW Resources Regulator. To view the approval, please click here.
The approved activities continue to be undertaken in accordance with strict regulatory requirements, with works expected to be completed in the coming month.
Community Consultation
Community Consultative Committee
A condition of the IPC consent for the Narrabri Gas Project is the establishment and operation of a Community Consultative Committee in accordance with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment's (DPE) Community Consultative Committee Guidelines: State Significant Projects. DPE has appointed Mr Garry West to the position of Independent Chair of the committee.
The purpose of a Community Consultative Committee is to provide a forum for discussion between a proponent and representatives of the community, stakeholder groups and the local council on issues directly relating to a specific State significant project.
The next meeting of the Narrabri Gas Project Community Consultative Committee will be held on Tuesday 5th December, 2023.
NGP Advisory Groups
A condition of the IPC consent for the Narrabri Gas Project is the establishment and operation of a number of advisory groups. The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has appointed Mr Garry West to the position of Independent Chair of these Advisory Groups.
These groups provide a forum for open dialogue between Santos, independent experts, key stakeholder groups and the local community.
- Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Group
- Biodiversity Advisory Group
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions Advisory Group
- Water Technical Advisory Group
Project Approvals
NSW Government
On 30 September 2020, the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) approved the Narrabri Gas with the Commission concluding that the Project is in the public interest and that any negative impacts can be effectively mitigated with strict conditions.
Australian Government
On 24 November 2020, the Federal Minister for the Environment approved the Narrabri Gas Project pursuant to Sections 130(1) and 133(1) of the EPBC Act, subject to conditions.
Santos will undertake an appraisal program ahead of a Final Investment Decision for the next phase of project development.
Santos continues work on the preparation and approval of the management plans required as a condition of consent by IPC. Copies of plans approved by the NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment are available from the Narrabri Gas Project website.
Native Title
Santos notes the determination of the National Native Title Tribunal handed down on Monday 19 December 2022, that proposed future acts, being the grants of Petroleum Production Lease Application Numbers 13, 14, 15 and 16 for the Narrabri Gas Project, may be done. On 13 January 2023, the Gomeroi People filed an appeal in the Federal Court of Australia in respect to this determination. This appeal was recently heard in Brisbane, with a decision anticipated by the end of 2023.
Santos will continue to engage constructively with the Gomeroi people and work closely with them to ensure their heritage is protected and they benefit from the project development in a range of ways, including through training and employment, and involvement in all aspects of their cultural heritage protection and management.
Santos has a strong track record of working collaboratively with First Nations peoples in Australia and internationally.
The company has a range of cultural heritage and native title agreements in place with 23 Traditional Owner Groups and six Aboriginal Land Councils around Australia.
Santos has been consulting and working with the Gomeroi people since 2012, and in formal negotiations regarding the Narrabri Gas Project since 2015.
Narrabri natural gas is essential to ensure Australia’s energy transition to renewables and cleaner energy technologies maintains both energy security and affordability for all Australians over the coming decades.
Hunter Gas Pipeline
The Hunter Gas Pipeline (HGP) Pty Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Santos. The proposed underground pipeline route passes close to Santos’ Narrabri Gas Project (NGP). The goal is to work with infrastructure developers and landholders to construct a pipeline that will deliver much-needed gas to the east coast domestic market in the shortest timeframe possible.
If you would like to speak to a member of the team or arrange a meeting, please call 1300 427 546.
Narrabri Lateral Pipeline
To connect the Narrabri Gas Project (NGP) to the Hunter Gas Pipeline (HGP), Santos is progressing plans for the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline(NLP).
The proposed pipeline will provide the ‘missing link’ to allow for the transmission of natural gas to the existing NSW natural gas transmission network near Newcastle.
The NLP SEARs can be viewed on the NSW Planning portal website here.
Engagement with Registered Aboriginal Parties
Santos is continuing to liaise with the Registered Aboriginal Parties concerning the assessment of the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline project corridor. Santos is committed to consulting with Indigenous people about the Aboriginal cultural heritage values within the proposed project area.
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