CHANGES to the Northern Territory’s petroleum regulatory regime, based on recommendations from the latest, wide-ranging scientific inquiry into fraccing come into effect today.

The regulations come into force as resources minister Ken Vowles makes his way to Adelaide in South Australia for the latest Council of Australian Government energy council meeting.  

The NT government claims the recommendations will ensure the consideration of cumulative impacts of fraccing; will require the publication of all notices and reports of environmental incidents, including reports about reportable incidents; provide transparency around proposed environmental management plans prior to  ministerial consideration and adopt Western Australian-style disclosure of all fraccing chemical use, plus flowback and produced water composition. 

"Among other things, the changes to regulations mean that, for the first time, Territorians have the opportunity to comment on environment management plans for the drilling of petroleum wells and hydraulic fracturing before they are considered by government," Vowles said today.  

The inquiry, led by Justice Rachael Pepper, was finalised in July and contained 135 recommendations, suggesting the direct environmental impacts of fraccing could be managed.

Source: Energy News Bulletin

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