Industry News


Sponsored by:



  • 21 Apr 2023 2:50 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    Top End Energy Limited (Top End or the Company) (ASX:TEE) is pleased to provide an update on its natural Hydrogen screening study (the Study) covering its prioritised asset portfolio in the Greater McArthur Basin in the Northern Territory.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Phase I natural Hydrogen assessment completed including interpretation of source potential, migration, leakage and retention over key permits in the Northern Territory
    • Highly prospective play fairways for natural Hydrogen identified across Company’s prioritised NT acreage
    • Key systems elements interpreted to be present for natural Hydrogen are also encouraging for the exploration of Helium, a valuable end product in short global supply
    • Opportunity to conduct on-ground surveys tailored to natural Hydrogen and Helium on the back of Greater McArthur Basin licence awards
    • Further develops the Company’s strategy of pursuing clean end products to complement existing focus on exploring for natural gas as a key transitional fuel
    • Q2 2023 grant of Exploration Permit (EP) 258 anticipated following approval of native title holders to enter into exploration agreement with the Company  

    To view full ASX Announcement, click here.

  • 21 Apr 2023 2:32 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    The Territory Labor Government is ensuring Water Security for all Territorians.

    Today the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security Lauren Moss has announced the appointment of a new independent NT Controller of Water Resources, Mr Andrew Johnson PSM who will commence in the role on 1 May 2023.

    With more than 40 years’ experience in agriculture, natural resources, water and environmental management in the Northern Territory, South Australia and internationally as a member of the Nepal-Australia Joint Advisory Committee on Water Resources, Andrew Johnson has vast experience and skills to bring to the Territory.

    The Controller of Water Resources has wide-ranging powers under the Act including granting licences and permits, approving actions and appointing authorised officers to implement regulation and compliance programs.

    The Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security will continue to be responsible for administering the Water Act 1992 and will support the new Water Controller in decision-making processes.

    For more information on the role of the NT Controller of Water Resources visit depws.nt.gov.au/water/legislation.nt-water-controller

    Quotes from Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security Lauren Moss:

    “The Territory Labor Government is delivering new projects and policies to effectively manage its water resources for its growing economy.

    “The appointment of an independent Controller of Water Resources reinforces the integrity of the decision-making framework established under the Water Act and I look forward to working with Andrew when he commences in this important role.

    “I also want to thank the CEO of the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security Jo Townsend for her dedicated work as the former Controller of Water Resources.

    Quotes from Independent Controller of Water Resources Andrew Johnson:

    “I am looking forward to commencing as the independent NT Controller of Water Resources next month.

    “Having been involved with the Territory’s water security since October 2021 as the Chair of the Western Davenport and Ti Tree Water Advisory Committees, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside a diverse range of Territorians and organisations on a complex project, and I look forward to bringing my broad experience to the position.”

    Source: NT Government Newsroom

  • 20 Apr 2023 2:15 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    Key points:

    • The Jabiru hybrid micro-grid generates 50 per cent renewable energy
    • Energy experts predict more of these will pop up across the country as Australia attempts to decarbonise
    • But that won't happen if the government doesn't start investing more in shoring up the renewables supply chain

    For decades in the tiny town of Jabiru, air conditioners, lights, TVs and fridges would be cut off multiple times a week – sometimes multiple times a day.

    Often the black-outs would last a few minutes, but sometimes they lasted hours.

    In the sweltering heat that hangs around the Northern Territory town of Jabiru for most of the year, the power cuts were torturous for locals. 

    It was also a big hindrance for businesses and hotels that would have to shut down and reboot regardless of how long the electricity was out.

    Then in 2021, Ranger, the uranium mine that had been operating on the outskirts of Jabiru for four decades closed down.

    And the NT government poured a massive amount of money into building a new power system, pledging a 50 per cent renewable energy supply.

    The micro-grid – using a hybrid model of solar generation, battery and diesel power – opened at the beginning of last year, and was the first in Australia at this scale.

    Ken Jones, the manager of Kakadu IGA, in Jabiru, said he can't remember the last time the town was plunged into darkness.

    "People who are new here wouldn't notice a difference because it just stays on all the time, you don't even see where it comes from.

    "But anyone that's been here a while really notices."

    Now, following the UN's latest climate report that delivered a "final warning" on the climate crisis, some industry experts and energy manufacturers are calling on the government to put more money into replicating the Jabiru blueprint across Australia.

    And as the community transitions from its mining legacy to a tourism hub, reliable energy is more important than ever.

    "There's a lot of talk around what we need to be doing to decarbonise the power system in Australia," said Geoff Hobley, the general manager of remote energy for EDL, which operates the Jabiru Power plant. 

    "I think what Jabiru demonstrates is that we can just get on and do it."

    The complexities of generating higher rates of renewables become more difficult to navigate the bigger the power grid, as all incoming sources of energy need to be operating on the same frequency.  

    But Jabiru's relatively small size, and the fact that it acts as a standalone island, makes it perfect for generating high amounts of renewables, Mr Hobley said.

    "I probably wouldn't recommend everywhere being a small grid but I think we will see an increased influence of micro grids [across Australia]," he said. 

    "We've significantly decreased the level of carbon emissions at the site. Beyond that, we've also decreased the number of trucks that are on the road transporting diesel."

    In the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, the world's leading climate scientists warned "rapid and deep reductions" in emissions from fossil fuels require major energy system transitions. 

    And they said reliance on coal and gas needs to end immediately to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

    The Jabiru Power Plant switches to energy from the solar farm when the sun comes up, but relies on diesel generators and battery storage when it's dark.

    Mr Hobley said EDL has a goal of 85 to 100 per cent renewable energy at it's power plants across Australia, of which there are around 50, by replicating the Jabiru template and adding wind farms.

    "Beyond that, we're looking at longer term battery storage and biofuels to close the final gap and get to 100 per cent renewables," he said.

    Energy expert Bruce Mountain from the Victoria Energy Policy Centre predicts micro grids will play a "valuable role in electricity supply particularly in isolated markets", and diluted issues around the use of diesel when used in small amounts.

    "Diesel back is likely to continue to decline as a result of declining costs of solar, batteries and load shifting," he said. 

    Fears a bigger flow of solar could destabilise Australia's power networks have added to the delay in transitioning to renewables. 

    But Josh Birmingham from SMA Australia, a solar energy equipment supplier, says the emerging "grid forming" technologies at Jabiru could be a game changer.

    "As we transition towards higher levels of renewable penetration, we will need to be able to restore from these potential system black events without relying on traditional coal-fired or gas-fired generation," he said.

    He pointed to the infamous 2016 blackout in South Australia, which saw the entire state lose power, and forced operators to trigger a series of complex never-before-done actions to turn the network on from a complete "system black".

    "What we're starting to see now, from a technology perspective, is [the ability to restart a plant with solar] being implemented into small micro grids like Jabiru," he said. 

    "If you had a system black within the Jabiru town you would be able to restore that system, just with the solar and batteries.

    "There's only a few places in the world where that technology has been implemented."

    Ahead of the budget, manufacturers in the renewables sector want more investment behind these projects, and the supply chain, which likely won't be able to keep up with demand as the sector takes off.

    "What we're seeing now is that it's much harder to deliver on a target than it is to set a target," Mr Birmingham said.

    A spokesperson for Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the Commonwealth is investing in micro grids to improve reliability and resilience of electricity supply for regional and remote communities, including First Nations communities. 

    Mr Bowen has also agreed to develop a National Renewable Energy Supply Chain Action Plan to ensure delivery of the infrastructure Australia needs for the transformation.

    To view ABC News full article, click here

  • 18 Apr 2023 3:08 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    The Territory Labor Government is focused on environmental protection and job creation. 

    Today, the Territory Government has released the Strategic Regional Environmental and Baseline Assessment (SREBA) for the Beetaloo Sub-basin, which is one of the key recommendations from the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory. 

    The SREBA accounts for 35 of the Inquiry’s recommendations.

    The SREBA provides information necessary for appropriate decisions to be made about the development of any natural gas extraction in the Beetaloo region, including the assessment of water and biodiversity resources, to inform land-use planning, and the collection of baseline data to provide a reference for ongoing monitoring.

    There are now more protections in place for groundwater than ever before, not just in the Beetaloo region but across the entire Northern Territory.

    The SREBA for the Beetaloo Sub-basin is the most comprehensive regional scientific study ever conducted in the Northern Territory, covering an area 20% larger than Tasmania - 86,400 square kilometres. 

    It represents an integrated and systematic data collection program that is unique in the Northern Territory, and possibly Australia.

    To enact the SREBA Government has implemented the following mitigation measures, including:

    • Water Quality and Quantity - there is now a very large body of data and research findings relating to water resources in the Beetaloo Region and, in particular, to the groundwater resources in the Cambrian Limestone Aquifer.
    • Aquatic Ecosystems - systematic biodiversity surveys and regional mapping have greatly increased knowledge of the aquatic ecosystems in the Beetaloo region.
    • Terrestrial Ecosystems - regional vegetation mapping and systematic flora and fauna surveys have greatly increased knowledge of the terrestrial ecosystems in the Beetaloo region.
    • Methane and Greenhouse Gas - currently the most practical and effective method of monitoring regional methane concentrations for the Beetaloo region is through periodic mobile surveys, possibly supported by the targeted deployment of long-term autonomous emission monitoring stations.
    • Environmental Health - outline monitoring plans were developed for the relevant population health indicators for air quality, water quality and soils. It was recommended that stakeholders be further engaged to refine and agree on the population health indicators before finalising an implementable monitoring plan.
    • Social, Cultural and Economic - the baseline and strategic assessments identified four main themes that reflect widely held aspirations for the future and community values: safe and sustainable (and coordinated) development; strong communities; maintaining and enhancing connection to land and culture; and informed and fair local participation. 

    The information collected by the SREBA is described in detailed Baseline Reports for each of the study domains and summarised in the SREBA Regional Report for the Beetaloo Sub-basin is available at depws.nt.gov.au/sreba 

    Quotes from Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security Lauren Moss:

    “The Territory Labor Government understands that a strong economy relies on a healthy environment and our unique environment needs a specific Territory approach.

    “The purpose of the SREBA is to provide the information necessary for appropriate decisions to be made about the development of any onshore shale gas industry in the Beetaloo region, including assessment of water and biodiversity resources, to inform land-use planning, and the collection of baseline data to provide a reference for ongoing monitoring.

    “The work involved has been immense and the Government has great confidence that the regulatory reform and scientific studies will withstand public scrutiny and the test of time.

    “Importantly, this work will play a critical role in avoiding and mitigating risks associated with the onshore oil and gas industry.”

    Source: NT Government Newsroom

  • 14 Apr 2023 3:12 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    The Territory Labor Government has released the Mineral Development Taskforce Final Report, stepping out how the Northern Territory can accelerate mining development to unlock a pipeline of projects, a key part of achieving a $40 billion economy by 2030.

    The Mineral Development Taskforce was established in November 2021 to investigate and identify strategies to activate and secure ongoing private investment.

    The taskforce, which comprises of government, industry and private sector experts was tasked with reporting findings back to the Northern Territory Government.

    Released today, the taskforce’s final report, outlines a series of recommendations and actions to drive and increase private investment in mining and downstream value-add projects.

    These include:

    • introducing targeted initiatives to encourage increased exploration and mining activity
    • securing co-ordinated, transparent and efficient land access processes that respect land-owners and recognise co-existing uses
    • targeted regulations focussed on outcomes to deliver improved project economics
    • updating the Territory’s royalties regime to make it more competitive and not a deterrent to investment
    • capitalising on economically sustainable downstream mineral value-add opportunities.

    Government accepts the recommendations in principle and will now engage with key stakeholders and industry about the opportunities that have been identified to increase and enhance the competitiveness of the Territory as an investment destination.

    The report can be found at https://resourcingtheterritory.nt.gov.au/minerals/mineral-development-taskforce

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Mining and Industry, Nicole Manison:

    “The Mining industry is the Northern Territory’s biggest contributor to the economy, and we can help tackle climate change by supplying the critical minerals the world needs.

    The Territory Government is sending a loud and clear message to investors that we are a world class destination for mining and we have the resources need for low emission technologies.

    Growing mining will mean more well-paying jobs and royalties that will benefit all Territorians, through better services and infrastructure

    This is why we established the Mineral Development Taskforce, which has identified opportunities to harness sustainable downstream manufacturing, and different royalty models that could make the Territory more competitive on a global scale.”

    Source: NT Government Newsroom

  • 12 Apr 2023 2:59 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    Integrated engineering firm Fyfe has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction contract for Santos’ Bayu Undan carbon capture and storage project in the Timor Sea.

    The Bayu-Undan gas field will store up to 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum and will be needed to take CO2 from Santos' future Barossa project, whose fields average 12% CO2.

    The project will require additions and modifications to the DLNG facility, which is proposed as the foundation for a CO2 processing hub, as well as the repurposing of the Bayu-Undan to Darwin Gas Export Pipeline, the offshore processing facility and facility wells for re-injection of processed CO2.

    Fyfe was awarded the contract for brownfield construction and detailed design of tie-in of the onshore Darwin LNG project. The contract value was not made public.

    The engineering company will consider the main process, utilities, and CO2 export piping.

    This includes pipeline design through or near the existing infrastructure.

    Fyfe will also undertake onsite surveying and civil design of footings at Darwin LNG as part of the early works process.

    Bayu-Undan will initially take CO2 from the Darwin LNG plant as Barossa replaces the field as backfill.

    Santos has previously said the reservoir has the potential for future expansion to proximal third parties.

    Separate to the EPC contract to Fyfe, Santos' next contract for procurement of long lead valves closes this week.

    Santos is seeking expressions of interest from companies who can supply manual ball vales, flanged up to DN600 in size and 15000# pressure rating.

    It also requires steel manual triple offset butterfly valves and actuated ball valves and pressure safety valves.

    Source: Energy News Bulletin

  • 06 Apr 2023 11:14 AM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    Tivan signs Letter of Intent with renewable energy company Sun Cable for potential power supply to the TIVAN Processing Facility in Darwin

    Highlights

    • Tivan has signed a Letter of Intent with AAPowerlink Australia Assets Pty Ltd, a Sun Cable renewable energy group company, to support its planned TIVAN® Processing Facility in the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct in Darwin.

    • Sun Cable is developing one of the largest solar generation, storage and transmission projects in the world in the Northern Territory.

    • Tivan and Sun Cable are progressing discussions on energy supply to the Company’s planned TIVAN® Processing Facility in the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct in Darwin.

    • The synergistic relationship with Sun Cable supports Tivan’s strategic vision to play a facilitatory role in supporting the renewable energy transition in the Northern Territory

    For full ASX Announcement, click here.

    Source: https://tivan.com.au/ 

  • 03 Apr 2023 2:40 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    Top End Energy Limited (Top End or the Company) (ASX:TEE) is pleased to announce that it has received written notification from the Northern Land Council (NLC) that the native title holders of Exploration Permit (EP) 258 (the Permit) have provided instructions to enter into an exploration agreement with the Company1. This is the critical path item required for the formal grant of the Permit.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Native title holders of Greater McArthur Basin EP 258 have agreed to enter into an exploration agreement with the Company following third on country meeting
    • Critical milestone reached, unlocking path for near-term grant of EP 258 which would represent the first EP to be granted in the NT since 2015
    • Post-grant exploration program designed to confirm the extension of the Velkerri Shale, the target for operators in the nearby highly prospective Beetaloo Basin, and presence of the conventional Bessie Sandstone formation on the Permit 
    • AGG survey to commence post-grant to provide high resolution gravity gradient datasets to aid structural interpretation and optimise acquisition parameters and location of planned 2D seismic survey
    • Operators in the Beetaloo Basin remain very active with ongoing drilling campaigns targeting near-term pilot projects

    To view full ASX Announcement, click here

  • 01 Apr 2023 2:59 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    Brookfield and EIG Consortium have signed a binding agreement to acquire Origin Energy at the end of March.

    A consortium comprised of Brookfield Renewable Partners, together with its institutional partners and global institutional investors GIC, and Brookfield, and MidOcean Energy,  has entered into a scheme implementation deed with Origin Energy.

    Origin is Australia’s largest integrated power generator and energy retailer with a 24 per cent market share of the national electricity market and owner of a 27.5 per cent stake in Australia Pacific LNG Project.

    “As the energy transition gathers pace, what’s needed is increasingly clear: faster deployment of large-scale renewables, the accelerated, responsible retirement of coal generation, and an interim, supportive role for gas as the dependable back-up fuel. Brookfield is determined that the new Origin Energy Markets will lead the way in all respects at this critical moment for the Australian economy,” said chair and Brookfield asset management and head of transition investing Mark Carney.

    Brookfield, its institutional partners and investors GIC and Temasek will acquire Origin’s Energy Markets business, with Brookfield intending to significantly reduce Origin’s carbon emissions and invest at least $20 billion in new build renewables and storage.

    The scheme values Origin at an enterprise value of $18.7 billion1. The purchase price of $8.91 per share represents a 53.4 per cent premium to the company’s unaffected share price.

    This landmark transaction aims to accelerate decarbonisation of the energy grid and help Australia progress towards its net zero goals.

    “The acquisition of Origin Energy presents Brookfield with a unique opportunity to invest at least $20 billion and make a material difference to achieving Australia’s net zero targets,” said Brookfield Asia Pacific chief executive officer Stewart Upson.

    “We will build on the success of our global renewable power and transition business where we have a mandate to ‘go where the emissions are’ in putting billions of dollars behind an executable plan to reduce emissions at Origin.

    “Brookfield has the capital, expertise, supply chain strength and global track record that’s needed to transform Origin’s generation fleet to greener sources and accelerate Australia’s energy transition while ensuring network security and reliability.”

    Brookfield and EIG view Origin as critical to Australia’s energy transition and energy security. Both parties intend to use the acquisition to create separate platforms that will assist Australia’s transition to a net zero future.

    Brookfield intends to accelerate the development of renewable generation capacity for Origin Energy Markets, which is expected to make a material difference to achieving Australia’s net zero targets at this crucial time in its energy transition.

    The Origin board has stated that it is unanimously recommending that Origin shareholders vote in favour of the scheme in the absence of a superior proposal, and subject to an independent expert concluding the Scheme is in the best interests of shareholders.

    Upon closing of the transaction, Brookfield, its institutional partners and investors will own Origin’s Energy Markets business, Australia’s largest integrated power generator and energy retailer.

    “We’re thrilled to join forces with Brookfield and Origin in this transaction and to further expand our footprint in Australia,” said MidOcean Energy chief executive officer De la Rey Venter.

    “Origin’s Integrated Gas business adds world-class assets to our portfolio – assets that fit our strategy to create a high quality, diversified, global ‘pure play’ integrated LNG company.

    “We look forward to working with all stakeholders to help facilitate Australia’s energy transition, to bring stable and affordable gas supply to the domestic market and to provide a reliable supply of LNG to the region for decades to come.”

    Source: Energy Today

  • 29 Mar 2023 4:09 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    Material Increase in Carpenteria-2H IP30 Flow Rate

    Highlights

    • Carpentaria-2H (“C-2H”) has achieved a new average flow rate over 30 days (“IP30”) of 2.81 mmscf per day, equating to a normalized flow rate of over 3 mmscf per day per 1,000m of horizontal section. This represents an increase of approximately 17% over the initial IP30 rates announced in September 2022 despite partial reservoir depletion following the initial 51-day flow testing program. The current flow rate is 2.3 mmscf per day.
    • This excellent result, achieved with a highly experimental and therefore unoptimized stimulation design, validates the soaking strategy that Empire has employed and will be incorporated into Empire’s development planning process which is well underway.
    • North American reservoir engineering firm Subsurface Dynamics, Inc. (“SSD”) has analysed the flow testing performance of C-2H. SSD’s analysis indicates that development wells with 3km laterals in the C-2H area could generate total estimated ultimate recovery (“EUR”) of 6.2 BCF gas per well on a P50 basis and 8.1 BCF gas on a P10 basis. Most of this gas would be produced in the first 3 – 5 years, consistent with US shale basins, which would drive rapid recovery of invested capital.
    • Based on Empire’s existing drilling and stimulation cost performance, the operations team estimates that development wells with 3km lateral sections and 60 fracture stimulation stages in the pilot phase can be drilled, fracture stimulated and completed for production for approximately $20 million per well (and likely below $15 million per well in larger scale development scenarios given the economies of scale that would be generated).
    • This indicates that Empire could achieve upstream development costs of approximately A$2.00 to A$3.00 per mscf in future development scenarios. 
    • Flow testing is ongoing, and Empire’s management, subsurface and operations teams are progressing the work required to take a proposal to the Board for a Final Investment Decision for the pilot project later this year (“Pilot FID”). 
    • Current cash balance is $15.7 million with approximately $3.5 million remaining to be paid in relation to the 2022 drilling and stimulation programs. The $15 million credit facility is available but undrawn providing further liquidity. The final Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program progress payment of ~$7.6m is expected to be received soon. This leaves Empire well capitalized to carry out the preparatory work for the Pilot FID. 

    To view full ASX Announcement, click here

Energy Club NT is an Incorporated Association 

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Energy Club NT Inc and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.

Through this website you are able to link to other websites and files which may not be owned, authored or under the control of Energy Club NT Inc. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of other websites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software