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  • 24 Oct 2024 12:35 PM | Anonymous

    Territorians living in apartments and units across the Territory will soon be able to access shared rooftop solar, with the CLP Government launching a new grant scheme in partnership with the Australian Government.

    Around 300 Territory households are set to benefit from this scheme.

    Minister for Renewables, Gerard Maley said “We know that cost of living pressures are hitting the hip pockets of Territorians, and this initiative will help more households to generate their own electricity and slash power bills.”

    “This grant will support the installation of new shared rooftop solar for those living in apartments that traditionally haven’t been able to access the cost savings of renewables,” Mr Maley added.

    The $2.35 million initiative is funded through the Australian Government’s Community Solar Banks program and managed by the Northern Territory Government.

    The scheme supports apartment complexes across the Northern Territory to install shared rooftop solar systems – potentially slashing power bills by up to $500 a year, per dwelling.

    Applications will soon be open for the first round of the scheme, which will make it cheaper and easier for Territory apartment residents to install shared rooftop solar.

    Around 18 per cent of Territory households live in apartments or units, with more than half of these occupied by renters.

    Grants of up to $7,500 per dwelling or apartment will be offered to eligible Body Corporates and other multi-dwelling management entities to support up to half of the cost of installing a shared solar PV system.

    “The CLP Government is restoring our lifestyle, and easing cost-of-living pressures is one way we are helping Territorians do just that,” said Mr Maley.

    For more details, or to see if you are eligible to apply go to Programs | Territory Renewable Energy (nt.gov.au) https://territoryrenewableenergy.nt.gov.au/programs">https://territoryrenewableenergy.nt.gov.au/programs

    Source: Northern Territory Government Newsroom

  • 23 Oct 2024 12:57 PM | Anonymous

    The CLP Government is delivering on another election commitment, announcing it will save Territory businesses up to $68,750 every year through payroll tax reforms.

    On average, businesses will save $22,000 annually, and payroll tax will be eliminated for about 200 existing businesses, incentivising businesses to employ more people.

    Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro and Treasurer Bill Yan said the changes would give the Territory the highest payroll tax tax-free threshold in Australia, increasing from $1.5 million to $2.5 million.

    Employers with wages between $2.5 million and $7.5 million will also see reduced payroll tax.

    Payroll tax for businesses with wage bills below $2.5 million will be waived, starting 1 January, 2025 while businesses between $2.5 million to 7.5 million will see their tax bill decrease from 1 July 2025.

    “The changes will eliminate payroll tax and red tape for about 200 employers, with another 380 businesses benefiting from reduced taxes,” said Mrs Finocchiaro.

    “Our government promised we would rebuild the economy, and that is what we’re doing.”

    Treasurer Bill Yan added: “In addition, apprentice and trainee wages will also be exempt from payroll tax from 1 July 2025 as part of the new $2.5 million threshold, saving businesses thousands of dollars more while encouraging them to invest in growing Territory apprenticeships and traineeships.”

    There are about 3,700 apprentices and trainees in the Territory.

    “Our changes mean Northern Territory employers with total payrolls below $2.5 million will not pay payroll tax at all,” said Mr Yan.

    “To get the Territory’s economy moving forward and rebuilding our reputation, we need to be the most competitive place to do business in the country.”

    Plumbing Maintenance Services owner Pat Whitehead said as the cost of doing business rises, tax relief in the form of payroll tax cuts were very welcome.

    “We have 26 plumbers employed on our books, including apprentices, and this absolutely gives us incentive to grow and employ more people,” he said.

    “Our wage bill is a huge component of running our business, so to have this relief will not just save jobs, but grow them.”

    Source: Northern Territory Government Newsroom

  • 23 Oct 2024 8:23 AM | Anonymous

    INPEX has announced the formation of a new partnership with Japanese Chubu Electric Power aimed at assessing the feasibility of establishing a cross-border carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain.  

    The study focuses on capturing CO2 in Japan and transporting it from the Port of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture to offshore reservoirs in Australia's depleted Bonaparte Basin storage. 

    In 2022, INPEX and its joint venture partners - TotalEnergies and Woodside Energy - secured a greenhouse gas (GHG) storage assessment permit, G-7-AP, which spans 27,500 square kilometres in the Bonaparte Basin off the NT's northwestern coast.  

    According to Geoscience Australia, the Bonaparte Basin consists of 14 structural elements, including the Vulcan Sub-basin, Laminaria-Flamingo High and northern Sahul Platform, which are the most prospective parts. 

    The INPEX-led consortium aims to begin CO2 injection around 2030, which could potentially become a key component of the Darwin-based carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) Hub proposed by the NT Government.  

    INPEX's Ichthys LNG project would also be a natural user of this CCS solution as it seeks to reduce its GHG emissions. 

    According to the Japanese gas developer's Long-term Strategy and Medium-term Business Plan released in 2022, CCUS is one of INPEX's five net zero business areas and sets a target of achieving an annual CO2 injection volume of 2.5 million tons or more by around 2030.   

    The company also aims to provide a stable supply of diverse and clean energy sources, including oil, natural gas, hydrogen, ammonia and renewables, as a pioneer in energy transformation. 

    Chubu is one of Japan's biggest power utilities, serving the central region that's home to major automakers, including Toyota Motor. The utility firm is also a 50% owner of JERA, Japan's top thermal power plant operator and the world's biggest LNG importer. 

    The Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage Network Australia (CCUSNA) has been contacted for comment. 

     
    Inpex locks in approval to start CCS drilling plans 

    Late last year, Australia's offshore regulator gave INPEX the green light to begin its CCS drilling program in the Bonaparte Basin.  

    Geoscience Australia believes the Bonaparte CCS project could inject between 2 million and 7 million tonnes per year, but that it could come online in 2026, a year earlier than Santos' Bayu-Undan project. 

    Inpex has identified two saline reservoir-seal pairs with a storage capacity of 15.9 gigatonnes, or 300 trillion cubic feet of CO2. 

    Source: Energy News Bulletin

  • 22 Oct 2024 1:14 PM | Anonymous

    SunCable has today been granted Conditional Approval by the Singaporean Government’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) to import green electricity via its flagship project the Australia-Asia PowerLink (AAPowerLink).

    The Conditional Approval follows a comprehensive process by the EMA which determined that AAPowerLink is technically and commercially viable.  

    Mitesh Patel, Interim CEO of SunCable International, welcomed the announcement and thanked the EMA and the Singaporean Government for their support.

    “Today’s announcement is a vote of confidence in the commercial and technical viability of our project,” he said.

    “Obtaining Conditional Approval means SunCable can move forward with the next phase of development and commercial activities and strengthening our partnership with Indonesia.

    “We will also progress commercial discussions with industrial customers in Singapore and engagement with the Northern Territory Government and the Traditional Owners of the project site.

    “We are seeking to supply up to 1.75GW (15 per cent) of Singapore’s total electricity needs, and to critically diversify Singapore’s technology and import origin mix, which will improve the resilience of the country’s energy grid and help it achieve its Net Zero goals.”

    The AAPowerLink aims to deliver 1.75GW of green electricity to customers in Singapore.  

    This is in addition to the planned 4GW staying in Australia to power future green industries in Darwin.

    SunCable will uniquely offer customers a firm 24/7 load sourced from solar and wind energy backed by storage to meet Singapore’s day and night-time renewable energy demand.

    Energy will be generated in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory, which offers some of the world’s best renewable resources, facilitating globally cost-competitive and secure green power.  

    To date, SunCable has invested over AUD $270 million across Australia, Singapore and Indonesia to support the development of the project.

    “Receiving Conditional Approval provides increased confidence in the concept of developing cross-border electricity trade, and establishing a new export industry for Australia,” Mr Patel said.

    “High voltage long-distance subsea cables are critical to the global energy transition, and solve for the transmission of green electrons within and between countries.”

    Electricity demand in the Asia-Pacific is set to increase by 70 per cent by 2040 and more than double by 2050, Mr Patel said.

    “SunCable has identified the opportunity for Australia to play a key role in meeting this demand by building landmark projects that utilise High Voltage Direct Current subsea cable to connect high-yield renewable energy generation in the Northern Territory to major cities throughout the region,” he said.

    Today’s approval builds on a series of recent project milestones reached by SunCable.  

    In August, the AAPowerLink received its principal Commonwealth Government environmental approval, allowing the company to pursue the next phase of development, working closely with valued stakeholders in Australia and overseas.

    The project will create thousands of jobs and an estimated AUD $20 billion in economic value to the Northern Territory over its construction and operation phases.

    SunCable is advancing key authorisations and approvals with the Northern Territory Government and with the Traditional Owners of the generation site, and is progressing commercial offtake discussions with green industrial proponents in the Darwin region.

    The company will also continue development activities in Indonesia and Singapore.  

    It will spend USD $2.5 billion directly in Indonesia over the project’s lifespan, creating an estimated 7,500 jobs across sectors including manufacturing, construction, marine, maintenance, and energy.

    SunCable has already started to help grow Indonesia’s renewable energy workforce by investing in and funding various partnerships, scholarships, and joint research projects.  

    In Singapore, SunCable’s clean energy import will increase energy security and resilience; drive green industrial development; support Net Zero goals; create jobs; and directly abate six megatons of carbon each year.

    Source: SunCable

  • 10 Oct 2024 6:00 PM | Anonymous

    Santos has locked in an US$800 million loan to proceed with the life extension works of its planned Darwin liquified natural gas (LNG) plant in the NT.  

    This comes after the firm sought approval to extract oil and gas from the Barossa field - a new energy source to feed the Darwin LNG plant as the Bayu-Undan gas field in the Timor Sea is drying up.   

    Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher said this is an excellent result for the Darwin LNG project.  

    "The debt raised by the Darwin LNG joint venture is wholly consistent with our strategy of securing flexible, long-duration and competitively priced funding," he noted.  

    "With these facilities in place, Darwin LNG is well-funded to complete the life extension works scheduled for mid-2025. 

    "It positions Darwin LNG to consider future expansion of this important infrastructure, including through the potential provision of third-party carbon capture services in Darwin." 

    Santos told its shareholders today that the new syndicated bank loan facilities comprise a US$350 million 7-year, partially amortising loan maturing in 2031 and a US$450 million 12-year partially amortising loan maturing in 2036.  

    According to Santos, following the end of LNG production from the Bayu-Undan field in late 2023, DLNG is undertaking works to extend its design life and provide gas processing and marine loading services to the Barossa joint venture, around 300km north of Darwin.  

    Santos owns a 43.43% stake in the Darwin LNG project, while other oil and gas majors SK E&S holds 25%, INPEX 11.4%, Eni (11%), and Japan's JERA (6.1%) and Tokyo Gas (3.1%).  

    Santos approved to wind down the Bayu-Undan to Darwin gas pipeline 

    In July, Santo confirmed the 502km gas export pipeline connecting the Bayu-Undan gas field and Darwin LNG plant would enter a preservation phase once the gas from the field no longer powers the Bayu-Undan Central Processing Facility.   

    During this phase, which is expected to last around 12 to 36 months, the pipeline will be filled with reservoir gas until Santos decides whether to repurpose it for carbon capture and storage or decommission it.   

    Meanwhile, Santos plans to drill at least six subsea wells to pump gas from the Barossa gas field and transport it to the Darwin LNG facility via a gas export pipeline.  

    Australia's offshore energy regulator is currently assessing the proposal.  

    Source: Energy News Bulletin

  • 02 Oct 2024 9:46 AM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    Santos today announced the signing of a mid-term LNG supply contract with TotalEnergies Gas & Power Asia Private Limited (TotalEnergies).

    The contract is to supply 20 LNG cargoes, or up to approximately 0.5 million tonnes of LNG per annum over a period of 3 years plus one quarter. The contract will commence in Q4 2025 with LNG being supplied from Santos’ global portfolio of world-class LNG assets on a delivered ex-ship basis.

    Santos Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Gallagher said the contract with TotalEnergies is a new LNG relationship for Santos and builds on our existing joint venture partnerships.

    “This oil indexed contract, along with the recently executed long-term LNG Sales and Purchase Agreement with Hokkaido Gas in Japan, and the mid-term contract with Glencore, demonstrates Santos’ strong LNG portfolio position and customer relationships in the region. Our portfolio is nicely balanced over the short to medium term with around eighty percent of volumes indexed to oil price and around twenty percent exposed to spot pricing.”

    “There continues to be extremely strong demand in Asia for high heating value LNG from projects such as Barossa and PNG LNG as countries focus on reducing their carbon emissions. Santos is committed to supporting the energy security of our valued customers across Asia, where gas will play an essential role in decarbonisation efforts across the region,” Mr Gallagher said.

    To view the full announcement, click here

    Source: Santos

  • 26 Sep 2024 2:51 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    CSIRO’s Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance (GISERA) are undertaking a research project that aims to provide environmental baseline characterisation of the springs in Hot Springs Valley, which is located in an area northeast of the Beetaloo (geological) Sub-basin.

    The springs in the area hold high environmental and cultural value. The baseline environmental data on the springs in and around the Hot Springs Valley will provide an important benchmark and evidence base for the protection and management of this significant area.

    The project leader, Cindy Ong, invited staff from Water Resources Division of DLPE to assist with the field campaign in August. Ursula Zaar, who has had experience working in the area was delighted to accept the opportunity to work with the dedicated and highly experienced scientific team. The CSIRO field team came from Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, covering the fields of geology, greenhouse gas emissions, hydrogeology, hydrochemistry and environmental tracers. They were joined on site by two Northern Land Council managers and 6 Traditional Owners from communities as far afield as Ngukurr. Altogether, there were up to 21 people in the camp.

    The spring and geological sites were accessed by foot and many kilometres were walked during the course of the campaign. The Traditional Owners led the way to a very culturally sensitive spring site.

    The temperature of the hot springs varied from 42 to 65°C with the latter indicating a source of around 1 km deep. Most of the spring discharges were generally small, below 10 L/s. Where possible, water samples were collected in a variety of containers including bottles, copper tubes and gas bottles as required for the type of analysis.

    Parameters to be analysed include ions, isotopes, hydrocarbon concentrations, headspace and dissolved gases, stable noble gases and radioactive noble gas isotopes, where the latter are the most reliable “age” tracers. Methane and ethane concentrations and emission rates were measured on site.

    The field work and analysis will help explain the source and discharge pathways of groundwater and gases, which naturally discharge from some of the springs. The research will inform ongoing management, monitoring and preservation of the springs and provide a baseline prior to any potential development of gas resources in the nearby Beetaloo Sub-basin. This information is highly beneficial to thedepartment and protecting our unique natural assets.

    https://gisera.csiro.au/research/surface-and-groundwater/environmental-baseline-characterisation-of-the-springs-in-hot-springs-valley-nt/

    Source: Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security 

  • 23 Sep 2024 1:08 PM | Anonymous

    FY24 Highlights

    • Achieved the highest normalized flow rates from the Beetaloo Basin to date from the Shenandoah South 1H (SS-1H) well
    • Secured funding of US$82 million (pre costs) for Tamboran’s operated 2024 Beetaloo Basin drilling program via the successful IPO on the NYSE.
    • Entered into a Strategic Agreement with 3 Liberty Energy (including US$20 million investment) to import modern US frac fleet into the Beetaloo Basin
    • Signed a 15.5-year Binding Gas Sales Agreement with the Northern Territory Government for proposed SS Pilot Project (Phase 1)
    • Signed LOIs with six East Coast gas buyers for up to 875 MMcf/d (>50% current East Coast gas demand) (Phase 2).
    • Signed two MOUs with bp and Shell for 2.2 MTPA of LNG each and awarded Bechtel Pre-FEED activities on proposed NTLNG project at Middle Arm (Phase 3).

    To view the full asx announcement, visit: Tamboran Resources ASX Announcements

    Source: Tamboran Resources

  • 22 Sep 2024 12:14 PM | Stephanie Berlin (Administrator)

    Energy company Santos’ signature Barossa project is nearing 80 per cent completion, with first production estimated within the next 12 months.

    Santos executive Vince Santostefano told last week’s Northern Territory Resources Week conference in Darwin the “hard slog” project would deliver significant benefits for the Territory, nation and regional neighbours.

    He told delegates the controversial pipeline environmentalists and academics misleadingly persuaded a section of the Tiwi Island community to oppose, according to a federal court judgement, had been completed, and a third Barossa well had also been drilled, with excellent reservoir results.

    He said the floating production, storage and offtake vessel – which is the largest of its type in the world – was on track to arrive in Australia from Singapore early next year and that the Darwin LNG Life extension project was now 50 per cent complete.

    He said Santos was investing more than $6bn in the Darwin LNG life extension, Barossa and the Bayu-Undan carbon capture and storage project.

    When open, Barossa will deliver 300 new operations and maintenance jobs in the Territory with about $2.5bn in wages and supplies expected to flow into the local economy during the project’s life.

    “Getting to the halfway point on the Darwin LNG life extension is a great milestone for a project of critical importance to Darwin,” Mr Santostefano said.

    “Santos has invested heavily to deliver the Barossa Gas Project because our customers continue to need gas for heating, electricity and for making critical products such as fertilisers, steel and the polymers.

    “These are the foundation of all kinds of chemicals and plastics – from toothpaste to medical syringes, from paint to the moulded dashboards of our cars. Countries like Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and China, simply will not sacrifice the energy security of their people or their economies.”

    He said the Territory’s natural endowment meant it would be crucial to delivering the future energy mix required to power Australia and the region.

    “The Territory has enormous potential as a leading supplier of affordable energy to Australia and the giant energy-consuming economies of Asia,” Mr Santostefano said.

    “It has a wealth of gas resources – onshore and offshore – a wealth of renewable resources, particularly solar – and a wealth of both geological and nature-based carbon sequestration opportunities.

    “It’s the ideal place for new industrial development including hydrogen, ammonia and polymers and potentially, critical minerals processing. It has plenty of land and deep water ports and is close to our energy markets in Asia.”

    He dismissed scare campaigns against gas.

    “Australia has a responsibility to use its comparative advantage in both gas and carbon storage resources for the betterment of not only our own nation, but to support regional stability by providing energy security and carbon solutions for our trading partners and friends in Asia,” he said.

    Source: The NT News

  • 19 Sep 2024 1:14 PM | Anonymous

    Top End Energy Limited is pleased to provide an update on its recently acquired Exploration Permit (EP) 144 (the Permit), which is located in the South Nicholson Basin area of the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Existence of organic-rich shales on EP 144 proven by recent drilling on overlapping mineral tenure. 
    • Preliminary analysis confirms Proterozoic organic-rich source rocks are present with up to 3.1wt% TOC, sampled from whole core captured during Encounter Resources’ recent drilling campaign. 
    • Data is consistent with the Lawn Hill shale interval intersected at nearby NDI Carrara-1 stratigraphic well, where TOC was sampled up to 3.2 wt%. • Ongoing organic petrographic analyses to help determine thermal maturity of organic-rich intervals. 
    • Geophysical wireline logging of Encounter’s wells planned ahead of resampling whole core intervals. 
    • Deep stratigraphic well planning to test deeper source rock intervals interpreted on seismic to be present and confirm stacked shale play potential.

    Source: Top End Energy ASX Announcement

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