The National Native Title Tribunal, an Australian land rights arbitration body, has granted approval for Santos to progress its A$3.6bn ($2.32bn) Narrabri Gas Project.
This decision enables the New South Wales (NSW) government to lease approximately 95,000 hectares of land near Narrabri for the project.
The Narrabri Gas Project includes the development and operation of a gas field with refining facilities, gas and water processing, and associated infrastructure.
Gas will be extracted from coal seams at depths between 300 and 1,200m, produced from up to 850 new wells on a maximum of 425 well pads.
Santos expects gas from the Narrabri Gas Project could supply up to half of New South Wales’ natural gas needs. The project is expected to provide energy for homes, small businesses, major industries, and electricity generators while delivering economic benefits to Narrabri and the surrounding region.
The leased area is largely located on state land designated for extractive industries and does not encompass national parks or nature reserves. Operations are planned for around 1,000 hectares within the project area.
Approximately 70% of the total lease area overlaps with the northeastern section of the Pilliga, a significant cultural landscape for the Gomeroi people. This region comprises over 500,000ha of forested land, with the leases affecting about 13% of this area.
Following an inquiry into lease grants in December 2022, conditions were determined by the National Native Title Tribunal. An appeal by the Gomeroi led to a Federal Court finding that environmental considerations were not adequately addressed in prior determinations.
Consequently, in April 2024, earlier findings were set aside and lease applications returned to the Tribunal.
In its final ruling on 19 May, the Tribunal approved the leases with conditions focusing on public interest and cultural heritage protections. It emphasised that all gas produced should be allocated for domestic use to ensure energy reliability on Australia’s east coast.
Conditions also include strengthened protections for Aboriginal cultural heritage due to identified risks associated with the project’s classification as a State Significant Development.
Furthermore, a ranger programme is mandated to manage and protect the Pilliga Forest environment, addressing ecological threats and supporting Gomeroi cultural responsibilities.
The Tribunal asserted that without these leases, there would likely be significant short-to-medium-term impacts on reliable energy supply in the region, affecting communities including the Gomeroi people.
