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Narrabri Gas Project (PEL 238)
Activities Update
November 2023
Welcome to the November 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
Clontarf partner morning
The Santos community team recently participated in the Partner Morning event with the Narrabri Clontarf Academy
The event brought together students, staff and local partners for an energetic morning featuring fitness drills and team sports. The Santos team thoroughly enjoyed connecting with everyone. It was a great wat to start the day and build on our partnership with the extended Clontarf team.
Pictured: Clontarf staff and students with the Santos team
Community Engagement
Volunteering at Shared Table
The Narrabri community team recently joined the group of volunteers from Shared Table in Narrabri, a non-for-profit initiative driven by the generous contributions of individuals and local businesses. This initiative is dedicated to providing free meals and essential food packages to those in need, fostering inclusivity without judgement.
The Santos team made a return visit at the end of the month coinciding with some of the extended team from Brisbane being in town. Together we hosted a BBQ lunch relieving the volunteers of some of their usual responsibilities.
Pictured: Miranda from Santos preparing lunch at Shared Table Kitchen
Community Information Drop-in Sessions
Community engagement along the HGP alignment continued during November with Santos hosting a pop-up session at the Singleton Square shopping centre. Sessions like these provide opportunities for community members to chat to staff from our community and land access teams about the Hunter Gas Pipeline (HGP) as well as other Santos projects in NSW.
Community staff were pleased to attend the Business Singleton Infrastructure Luncheon to hear from guest speakers from Transport for NSW, Newcastle Airport, and EnergyCo who provided updates on their current projects. The event provided great insight into the diverse range of projects currently underway in the Hunter region.
Santos is planning the fifth round of community information sessions for early 2024. These sessions will be advertised in future editions of the HGP monthly update, in regional newspapers and on the HGP website.
Operations Update
Drilling activities
Santos continues to drill shallow water monitoring bores in accordance with project approvals.
Santos will continue the maintenance program through 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.
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 have commenced and 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 heard in Brisbane in August, with a decision anticipated in early 2024.
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 been consulting and working with the Gomeroi people since 2012, and in formal negotiations regarding the Narrabri Gas Project since 2015.
Engagement with Registered Aboriginal Parties
Santos is continuing to liaise with the Registered Aboriginal Parties regarding 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.
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.
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