Government Approved Exploration Projects In NT

Fracking has been a project that has had its detractors and its supporters for as long as it has been in operation. The process of drilling into the earth in order to receive the planet's natural reserves has come under some criticism from a selection of onlookers and campaigners. It also gathers momentum and positive press from those who feel it’s the right thing to do in order to collect earth’s backups.  

This year has been somewhat marred by the Corona virus pandemic; many significant businesses and projects have been put to a grinding halt. The fracking business was another in the long list of projects that were put on hold due to the virus’s quick spread.  

Before the virus put the government-approved drilling activity in NT on hold, the program looked to be operating smoothly and with little in the way of hiccups. After a three-year ban, the government lifted the moratorium and approved the exploration projects in NT. The exploration program in the Beetaloo Basin is to go ahead before the end of 2020 now that the virus seems to have died down significantly; the search for onshore shale gas drilling will resume when it’s safe to do so. 

 While the government can’t quite put a figure on the amount of work that will and have been opened up due to this significant program, they have said that the projections point towards ‘many, many jobs.’ This kind of project will bring many positives towards the territory in financial, environmental, and social aspects. 

Fracking Companies In Australia

Australia is one of the world’s biggest gas exporters. Its natural gas supplies are abundant – and many of these gas supplies are yet to be tapped into.

Reaching these gas reserves often involves a process known as hydraulic fracturing (commonly known as ‘fracking’), which involves penetrating the earth to access shale rock. There are many fracking companies across Australia that specialise in this process.

Fracking is a controversial means of accessing energy and there have been bans in several countries, including within Australian states such as the Northern Territory and Western Australia. In the last couple of decades, Australian fracking companies have taken more rigorous measures to reduce the negative impact of this process such as minimising water usage and reducing waste. This has led to the reintroduction of fracking in NT, while Western Australia has also green-lighted fracking in certain areas. There is still some opposition across Australia, but many would agree that fracking is now a much cleaner and safer process.

In the next couple of decades, fracking will play a large part in Australia’s energy production. The continuation of fracking is currently essential for the Australian economy and its growth will likely create more jobs. Advancements in technology may meanwhile enable fracking to be an even cleaner and safer process. 

Legal Fracking in the Beetaloo Basin

While many controversies surround fracking in Beetaloo Basin, it is easy to forget that ultimately, gas reserves fracking in Beetaloo is not illegal. 

The Beetaloo Basin, which is rich in shale gas and oil, has the potential to provide up to $1 billion worth of investment in the Northern Territory and could provide up to 6,000 jobs in the area, something needed after post-pandemic. 

Regulations 

Fracking in the Beetaloo Basin is highly regulated by laws and regulations on the fracking industry as a whole. Currently, there are 135 stated recommendations that reduce the risk of any environmental damage by the fracking industry, and the regulations are assessed by the NT Environment Protection Agency. 

Gas development should not come at the expense of the environment, so the oil industry follows strict codes of practice for well integrity as well as wastewater management frameworks and water licensing.

Government Support

Fracking in the Beetaloo Basin is fully legal, with the Northern Territory government supporting exploration plans in the Basin. During 2018, the NT government reached out to the Federal government to partner with offsetting any additional emissions caused by the fracking industry, which has fully supported the legal process of fracking in the area. 

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association is fully compliant with the recent additional oversight and is confident that the legal fracking of shale oil will provide a boost to the local economy. In addition, the Association is monitoring the fracking industry to ensure that no illegal fracking procedures occur in the Beetaloo Basin.  

Environmental Effects of Fracking in the Betaloo Basin

Is it true that there are unexpected environmental benefits of fracking in the Beetaloo Basin? It might just be true. When fracking industries abide by environmental regulations and safeguards, as well as the governmental environmental process, unexpected environmental benefits include the following.

No more dependency on coal

A reduction in the use of coal as an energy source is the first positive environmental repercussion of fracking in the Beetaloo Basin. Because fracking provides the ability to recover both crude oil and natural gas from shale deposits, natural gas prices can drop. When this occurs, natural gas becomes a more viable energy option than coal, which is intrinsically more of a pollutant than natural gas. In comparison to natural gas, coal produces three times as much carbon emissions. When fracking decreases the cost of natural gas, electric companies are able to utilize it at a much cheaper rate and will often opt for it over dirty coal.

A reduction in air pollution 

The second benefit to the environment of fracking in the Beetaloo Basin has lowered air pollution. This goes hand-in-hand with reducing the sheer amount of coal used. Air pollution is directly contributed to the high use of coal, but as corporations switch to using natural gas, they can continue producing and manufacturing at the same efficiency but reduce their direct impact on air pollution.

Natural gas is a safe alternative for energy use, and with the legal fracking of the Beetaloo Basin, the Northern Territory may in fact experience unexpected environmental benefits of fracking in Beetaloo.