Aussie court blocks Santos from restarting work on Barossa gas pipe
The Federal Court of Australia has granted an interim injunction to prevent Santos from commencing work on the Barossa gas export pipeline until November 13, the company announced on November 2.
The decision comes in connection with an application by an indigenous group seeking an order that Santos revise and resubmit the environment plan that was accepted by the regulator, NOPSEMA, in March 2020.
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The Environmental Defenders Office (EDO), a non-profit organisation, representing the indigenous group alleges that the pipeline will have significant environmental impacts and risks, in particular to submerged Tiwi cultural heritage.
Drilling at the project has been suspended since September last year after a judge set aside the acceptance by NOPSEMA of the environment plan covering the drilling activities.
Santos said it has complied with a general direction issued by the regulator NOPSEMA in January 2023 in relation to impacts on underwater cultural heritage places to which indigenous people have spiritual and cultural connections.
The Barossa project is approximately 46% complete. Barossa's gas supplies are intended to extend the life of Santos's 3.7mn tonnes/year Darwin LNG facility in the Northern Territory. The $3.6bn investment programme got underway with the project's final investment decision last March 2021, with the first gas due in 2025.
The court will sit again on November 13 to determine whether to extend the injunction until that final hearing. Santos on November 1 said it would "vigorously defend" the legal proceeding brought by the EDO. The company has said that provided the pipelay is completed in 2023, and drilling activities commence before the end of the year, guidance to the market on Barossa cost and schedule remains unchanged.