About
Narrabri Gas Project
About
Narrabri Gas Project
Santos’ Narrabri Gas Project could supply NSW homes, small businesses, major industries and electricity generators with up to half the state’s natural gas needs, putting downward pressure on gas and electricity prices and bringing substantial economic benefits to Narrabri and the region.
The NGP involves the development and production of natural gas reserves near Narrabri and around the Pilliga Forest in northwest New South Wales. The initial stages of the project involved the development of appraisal wells which are already delivering gas to the Wilga Park Power Station.
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Santos has committed 100 per cent of Narrabri gas to the east coast domestic market helping bring energy security to the region. Santos is proposing to deliver this gas via two pipelines – the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline (NLP) and the Hunter Gas Pipeline (HGP) which, once constructed, will tie-into the existing gas transmission network near Newcastle.
Santos acquired the Hunter Gas Pipeline in August 2022 and it was declared Critical State Significant Infrastructure by the NSW Government. For more information on the pipelines visit http://www.huntergaspipeline.com.au.
Santos is committed to developing its NSW projects safely and sustainably. The Environmental Impact Statement for the NGP was assessed by both the Federal and State Governments, with extensive community consultation throughout the assessment process.
The Pilliga State Forest spans over 500,000 hectares, while the Narrabri Gas Project is planned across approximately 1000 hectares, meaning the project footprint represents less than one per cent of the total forest area. The Project area is mostly located on state land in a section of the Pilliga set aside by the NSW Government for uses including logging and extractive industries. The Project area does not include areas of National Park or Nature Reserves. The Project area also does not contain land mapped by the Government as Biophysical Strategic Agricultural Land (BSAL).
For more information on the Environmental Impact Statement for the Narrabri Gas Project see here.
For more detail on the Project:
Santos
Santos provides reliable, affordable energy for progress and seeks to provide lower carbon energy over time. Santos is a global energy company with operations across Australia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and the United States.
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Santos is an important Australian domestic gas supplier and LNG supplier in Asia. We are committed to supplying critical fuels such as oil and gas, and abating emissions through carbon capture and storage, energy efficiency projects, use of renewables in our operations and high-quality offsets. Santos will also seek to develop low-carbon fuels as customer demand evolves.
For more information visit santos.com.
Exploration
Santos began exploring for natural gas in NSW in 2008, mainly in the areas around Gunnedah and the Upper Hunter. In November 2011, Santos acquired Narrabri-based Eastern Star Gas and the company’s operations in and around the Pilliga.
The initial stages of the project involved the development of appraisal wells which are already delivering gas to the Wilga Park Power Station. The Wilga Park Power Station has an electricity generation capacity of 22 megawatts, enough to power 32,000 households across northwest NSW.
Santos is seeking approval from the NSW government to operate the four existing Kahlua pilot wells in PEL 1, approximately 20km west of Gunnedah, for a further two years to ensure that the data required to fully access resource potential is obtained. Minor civil and construction works, including the possible installation of a small solar array to provide power to the wells, are also proposed.
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PEL 1
Activity Approval of Assessable Prospecting Operations – PEL 1 Seismic Survey
In accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021, on 12 September 2022, Santos lodged with the NSW Resources Regulator an application to conduct exploration activities for assessable prospecting operations, PEL 1 – seismic survey including a Guideline Review of Environmental Factors. The NSW Resources Regulator granted the activity approval on 31 October 2022.
View the Application here
View the Activity Approval here
Seismic Survey
In January 2023, Santos conducted a seismic survey in a small area to the southwest of Gunnedah to gain a better understanding of the subsurface geology of this area. This activity was approved by the NSW Government and is part of our exploration activity in petroleum exploration licence (PEL) 1, which the government renewed in 2022.
Seismic surveying is the most effective, low impact method to gain a better understanding of the subsurface geology of the area.
Click here to view a detailed fact sheet about seismic surveys
Click here to view map of seismic survey area
Activity Approval of Assessable Prospecting Operations – PEL 1 Kahlua Pilot Reactivation
In accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021, on 12 January 2023, Santos lodged with the NSW Resources Regulator an application to conduct exploration activities for assessable prospecting operations, PEL 1 – Kahlua Pilot Reactivation including a Guideline Review of Environmental Factors.
This application has been reviewed and approved by the NSW Resources Regulator.
View the Activity Approval here
Historic Activity Approvals
Santos conducted exploration activities within its tenures around the Gunnedah and Upper Hunter areas. The relevant REF documents are set out below.
2007
2008
2009
Longlea 1 Pump Test Supplementary Management Plan
Blackville 1 Supplementary Management Plan
Coulson 1 Supplementary Management Plan
Rouchel Rouchel 1 Supplementary Management Plan
Warah1 Supplementary Management Plan
2010
Kahlua Pilot Test Single Well Pilot
Kahlua Shallow Aquifer Monitoring Bore
Gananny 1 Supplementary Management Plan
2011
Brawboy Vertical Seismic Profile
Georges Island Glasserton Appendix A Glasserton Goundwater Impact Study
Georges Island Glasserton Appendix B Glasserton Ecological Assessment
Georges Island Glasserton Appendix C Noise Emissions Report
Georges Island Glasserton Appendix D Cultural Heritage
Georges Island Glasserton Appendix E Glasserton Pilot Well Designs
Georges Island Glasserton Appendix F Environmental Management Plan
Environment Protection Licensing
‘Petroleum exploration, assessment and production’ is a scheduled activity listed in Schedule 1 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act). Under section 48 of the POEO Act, all scheduled activities are required to hold an environment protection licence.
EPL 20351 covering PEL 1 and PEL 12 in the area around Gunnedah
EPL 20352 covering PEL 456 in the Upper Hunter area.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is a cleaner-burning fuel than coal, emitting about half as much carbon dioxide when used for power generation. Natural gas also supports renewable energy sources like wind and solar, by providing peak power in times of high demand. .
Natural gas is not only used to generate electricity and in homes for cooking and heating, but it is an essential fuel in various industrial processes including the production of bricks, glass, steel, plastics, paint, fabrics, fertilisers and many other products.
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Natural gas is a fuel that is made up mainly of methane. It is found in several different types of rocks including sandstone, shale, and coal.
In the Narrabri area, natural gas and water are held in underground coal seams by pressure. To extract natural gas, a well is drilled through the ground and into the coal seam. Water is extracted, releasing the pressure within coal seam and allowing the gas to flow up through the well to the surface.
During this process, the coal is not removed – it stays in place underground.
Due to the relatively small amount of land used for natural gas operations, natural gas extraction can co-exist with other land uses like agriculture. There is also flexibility where activities can be situated on a property, allowing operations to work in with a landholder’s agricultural business.
For more information: Download our Drilling with Care fact sheet
Fact Sheet
Narrabri Gas Project Fact Sheets (click to view)
Useful sites (click to visit)