The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) met to consider an application from Santos NA Darwin Pipeline Pty Ltd (Santos) to renew Environment Protection Licence 217-04 under the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998 for the Darwin LNG facility, located at Wickham Point.

The NT EPA decided to amend and renew the licence for a 5-year period.   In reviewing the licence renewal application, the NT EPA considered the need to improve oversight of fugitive emissions management, community engagement and transparency.  The licence renewal includes new conditions that require Santos to:

• prevent and manage fugitive methane emissions to a level that is as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) and acceptable to the NT EPA
• implement a leak detection and repair (LDAR) program to reduce fugitive emissions from the facility
• monitor fugitive methane emissions from the Darwin LNG storage tank annually
• report to the NT EPA on the results of the LDAR program in the Annual Environmental Monitoring Report; and
• establish a Community Consultative Committee to better facilitate sharing of information with the community and other stakeholders and to ensure timely and open communication on matters of interest to the community about the facility and its operations.  

The NT EPA Chairperson, Dr Paul Vogel AM, did not participate in the discussion and decision on the licence renewal.

To view the licence go to Santos NA Darwin Pipeline Pty Ltd | NTEPA