LNG

Nov 15 (LNGJ) - The Barossa gas project for Darwin LNG feed gas of Australian operator Santos appeared to be partially back on track. Santos reported that the Federal Court of Australia has ruled that pipe-laying activities can commence on an 86-kilometres section of pipeline for the Barossa Gas Export Pipeline (GEP) project.

   The Court has also set the date of December 4 for the commencement of a hearing brought by opponents of the Barossa project seeking to restrain Santos from continuing the pipelay until it revises its environmental plan. “Santos intends to vigorously defend those proceedings,” said the Adelaide-based company. “With the Barossa Project set to supply the Darwin LNG plant for years to come, it is important for local jobs, as well as opportunities for Traditional Owners, exports and relationships with investors and gas customers in Asia, that this project continues,” Santos stated.

Santos has become the latest Australian energy company along with Woodside Energy to have multi-billion dollar offshore natural gas pipeline projects blocked by the Federal Court of Australia for reasons of “underwater cultural heritage” even as in the case of Santos an independent expert anthropologist concluded that no such underwater cultural heritage places existed in the whole area.