Industry News

The Territory Labor Government is inspiring the next generation of earth science specialists through the NT’s flagship exploration event.

The Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar kicks off in Alice Springs today and more than 60 senior high school students are there exploring careers in Earth Sciences and resources.

The event provides a unique opportunity for students to interact and gain first-hand knowledge from industry representatives about future job opportunities available in the region.

They will participate in a range of fun and hands-on activities, attend educational sessions and go on a geology field trip to ANZAC Hill.

This event is all a part of the Territory Governments efforts to build capability and capacity of the future workforce, particularly in regional areas.

This development is key to the Territory Labor Government’s plan to help secure sustainable minerals industry development and grow our economy to $40 billion by 2030.

In 2023, the Northern Territory’s mining sector provided 3,500 direct jobs and generated over $4 billion dollars for the NT economy. Sustainable mining generates rewarding jobs and brings revenue that’s needed to fund schools, hospitals, infrastructure and support community projects.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Mining and Minister for Education Mark Monaghan:

“The Territory Labor Government understands not every student knows what they want to do after their schooling life which is why seminars like these are so important.

“The Northern Territory resources sector is diverse, with careers ranging from engineering, environmental science, geology, geophysics through to trades and technicians.

“The Territory Government wants to build the capability and capacity of the future workforce. This event is made possible thanks to an innovative industry partnership that includes the Minerals Council of Australia NT, Australian Earth Science Education and Geological Society of Australia working with the NT Government to secure and drive forward the resource sector.”

Quotes attributable to Cathryn Tilmouth, Executive Director Northern Australia, Mineral Council Australia (MCA)

“With a growing number of mining and resourcing projects in the pipeline, it is essential to grow a local skilled workforce. This is a shared responsibility for industry, government and educators. 

This inaugural forum is a fantastic opportunity for industry to directly engage with local students, showcasing what our sector has to offer. MCA looks forward to continuing to grow this forum in the future across the NT."

Source: Northern Territory Government Newsroom

On 15th April 2024, Desert Knowledge Australia, hosted a launch event to celebrate the end of the Alice Springs Future Grid project and pub­licly launch the Roadmap to 2030.

The Roadmap is one of the key out­puts from Alice Springs Future Grid, a three-year whole of sys­tem project iden­ti­fy­ing the bar­ri­ers to fur­ther deploy­ment of renew­able ener­gy in the Alice Springs pow­er sys­tem and find­ing solu­tions based on real-world tri­als, inves­ti­ga­tions, and mod­el­ling. It’s led by the Intyal­heme Cen­tre for Future Ener­gy, on behalf of Desert Knowl­edge Aus­tralia (DKA), with project part­ners Ekisti­ca, CSIRO, Pow­er and Water, Ter­ri­to­ry Gen­er­a­tion and Jacana Energy.

The Roadmap to 2030 is the product of three years of trials and research carried out by multiple project partners. It pulls together insights from the Alice Springs Future Grid sub-projects and lays out four pathways to achieving 50% renewable generation by 2030.

To access the Alice Springs Roadmap to 2030 report, download here

To view the full media release, click here.

Central’s Managing Director and CEO, Leon Devaney has been interviewed on ABC Radio’s Country Hour in the Northern Territory to discuss the evolving NT gas market dynamics following Central’s announcement on Friday that it has agreed to increase gas supply into the NT market.
 
To listen to the interview, click here.

Source: Central Petroleum

Audacia has successfully installed her largest ever PLET in S-mode, concluding several years of in-house engineering, fabrication and testing. The pipeline end termination structure is so heavy, production crew had to install separately to the connector head. And so tall and wide, it only just fit through the tensioners and over the stinger!

Connecting the Barossa field to the future Darwin Pipeline Duplication

Audacia and her support team of Fortitude, Alegria, Felicity and Fortress are laying the 262-kilometre-long Barossa Gas Export Pipeline (GEP). The 26-inch diameter pipeline will connect the Barossa field development to the future Darwin Pipeline Duplication, transporting natural gas to the Darwin LNG facility in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Landing the PLET on its mudmat foundations

Project Manager, Dennis Telders, says “To make it work, we had to come up with a design that worked in S-mode, so over the stinger, as opposed to J-mode, over the side.”

To prepare for installing the payload, the in-house design was tested extensively last year. The hard work paid off. Offshore crew landed the PLET safely onto its mudmat foundations, installed to pinpoint accuracy earlier in the campaign by Fortitude. A great team effort!

Source: Allseas

The Territory Labor Government is backing the expansion of the Territory gas industry by investing $2 million each year in the 2024 Budget to conduct a regional monitoring program in the Beetaloo Sub-Basin.

Natural gas from the Beetaloo will provide work opportunities for thousands of Territorians, secure our energy supplies and deliver a huge boost to local businesses across the Territory. 

Supporting the gas industry to grow and provide work opportunities to Territorians is another way we are getting the Territory working.  

The Beetaloo Sub-Basin gas industry has the potential to provide 13,000 jobs by 2040 and increase the Northern Territory’s economic activity by $17 billion.

The monitoring program will ensure we have the strongest environmental safeguards and will build on the baseline data already collected through the Beetaloo SREBA.

The program will ensure our gas industry is developed safely and provide transparent, publicly accessible reporting.

Charles Darwin University will undertake most monitoring activities, including data collection, analysis and public reporting - ensuring Aboriginal engagement, including involvement of ranger groups in data collection.

Quotes attributable to the Chief Minister Eva Lawler:

“I’m focused on getting the Territory working and that’s why it’s important to back the natural gas industry and support its growth.”

“We know that when the gas industry in the Territory grows there will be thousands of new work opportunities for Territorians.”

“We’re backing the industries that get the Territory working.”

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security Kate Worden:

“We support our gas industry – and this funding will ensure the industry can proceed in an environmentally responsible and safe way.”

“Establishing our gas industry in the region will be a vital part of growing our economy to $40 billion by 2030 and creating thousands of jobs for Territorians over the next 15 years.”

Quote attributable to the Minister for Mining Mark Monaghan:

“Supporting the expansion of our gas industry will help make the Territory an energy powerhouse – and that means more work opportunities for Territorians.”

Source: Northern Territory Government Newsroom

Cue Energy Resources Limited (ASX: CUE) announces that Central Petroleum Limited (ASX: CTP), the Operator of Cue’s onshore Australian gas production fields, Mereenie, Palm Valley and Dingo, has issued the attached release announcing the execution of a Gas Supply Agreement (GSA) with Power and Water Corporation (PWC) for the supply of as-available gas from the Mereenie field to the end of 2024, and providing an update on the Northern Territory gas market.

Cue has a 7.5% interest in the Mereenie gas field. Other participants are Central Petroleum (Operator) 25%, Macquarie Mereenie 50% and New Zealand Oil & Gas 17.5% 

To view the full ASX Announcement, click here

Source: CUE Energy

Central Petroleum has agreed to supply additional gas into the Northern Territory for the remainder of 2024 under a new agreement announced today.

The new agreement could see Central supply up to 2.1 PJ of gas to Power & Water Corporation over the remainder of the year while the Northern Gas Pipeline remains closed.

The Central-operated gas fields in the Southern Amadeus Basin already reliably produce over half of the Northern Territory’s gas demand and should play an increasingly important role in supplying NT customers as existing off-shore gas supplies decline.
 
The full announcement is available here

Source: Central Petroleum

The Territory Labor Government’s agenda is to get more Territorians working and the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct is cornerstone to that vision.

Middle Arm will bring work and opportunity for thousands of Territorians and the experts tell us it will be a benchmark for similar future developments around Australia.

Today, Chief Minister Eva Lawler and the Territory Government faced the Australian Senate Hearing into Middle Arm.

The Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct has been carefully and methodically master planned since 2017 – and it based on the foundation of work.

From the well-paid and secure work in natural gas, minerals processing and advanced manufacturing – the precinct provides secure work.

The Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct will boost our economy with 20,000 jobs for Territorians – providing work opportunities in Darwin and right up and down the Stuart Highway.

Middle Arm will support rare earths being mined and processed near Alice Springs, it supports phosphate being mined in the Barkly, and it also supports solar and wind energy generation from the Barkly.

The Territory Labor Government has undertaken some of the most exhaustive environmental, social and cultural assessments in Australia to progress Middle Arm. Middle Arm is being developed as a master planned precinct backed by 200 technical studies assessing its impact, with the plan also integrating industrial scale solar energy projects and will host a carbon capture and storage hub.

Quotes attributed to Chief Minister, Eva Lawler:

“Today I appeared at the Middle Arm Inquiry because I won’t let anything get in the way of Territorians getting the opportunities to work that they deserve.

“Being in secure work is more than a paycheque. It provides Territorians with the satisfaction of contributing to their community, it allows them to plan their future, support their families and be a mentor for others.

“Middle Arm will get the Territory working by creating up to 20,000 jobs in industries such a natural gas, advanced manufacturing and minerals processing.

“We’re backing the industries and projects that get the Territory working and we expect senators from down south to respect Territorians to make decisions for our own economic future.

“I call on the Committee to back Middle Arm and to work with us and make the Precinct a big win for Territory workers and the community.”

Source: Northern Territory Government Newsroom

Fewer than one-fifth of Territorians are opposed to the gas industry and an increasing number back gas as an energy source, new research has revealed.

A day out from a two-day Senate Committee hearing into development at Darwin’s Middle Arm, a new poll has shown almost two-thirds of Territorians have a favourable view of the gas industry.

The study found half of Territorians surveyed were not aware of the Middle Arm development precinct but those that had, supported it overwhelmingly.

A big majority support the gas industry.

The Freshwater Strategy poll on behalf of the gas industry showed 58 per cent of Territorians supported gas, 18 per cent were neutral, six per cent unsure and 18 per cent held an unfavourable view.

Asked their preferred energy source, 80 per cent of Territorians

said solar, 56 per cent gas, 48 per cent backed nuclear and just 33 per cent favoured coal.

Renewable fuels are the favourite energy source for Territorians, with solar at 79 per cent, natural gas at 68 per cent, wind at 63 percent, nuclear 56 per cent and coal 43 per cent.

And despite – or perhaps because of – green attacks on gas, support for the fuel has surged in the NT over the past two years.

Gas graph March 9 2024

The survey found since December 2022, net support for solar had increased by one per cent to 69 per cent, while net support for natural gas has increased 19 per cent to 51 per cent, wind has remained neutral at 45 per cent and nuclear has also had a 20 per cent surge to 38 per cent support.

The survey showed only Greens supporters opposed more energy from gas.

Labor voters favoured solar, wind and natural gas and CLP voters backed natural gas, solar and nuclear.

Greens only support solar and wind and oppose gas, coal and nuclear energy.

Plans to develop an industry hub at Middle Arm with $1.5bn in equity from the federal government have cut through with most voters with 47 per cent saying the were aware of the precinct proposal and 46 per cent unaware.

Fifty four per cent of Territorians support Middle Arm, 15 per cent oppose it and 31 per cent are unsure.

Only the Greens continue to oppose the development with only 39 per cent in favour of Middle Arm and 47 per cent against. Sixty four per cent of Labor voters back the development and 61 per cent of CLP and independent candidates support the plan.

About 1100 people were surveyed in January 2024 for the poll, with a 3 per cent margin of error.

Source: The NT News

With renewed focus on gas availability, Empire MD Alex Underwood explains the role Empire and the Beetaloo Basin resource will play in helping to secure new supply.

Please follow the link to his most recent interviews with RaaS and ABN Newswire https://empireenergygroup.net/media-videos/

Source: Empire Energy Group