Explosive new documents obtained by the Environment Centre NT under Freedom of Information have revealed that Santos's Darwin LNG export hub has been leaking methane since it opened in 2006 – a harmful source of climate pollution that has gone unaddressed for nearly two decades.
The revelation raises concerns about regulatory oversight, the Federal Government's climate commitments, and the future of Santos's $30Bn takeover bid by an Abu Dhabi consortium.
The ABC has revealed evidence that both Santos and former operator ConocoPhillips knew about the massive methane leak but failed to act, with regulators including the NT EPA, NT WorkSafe, Clean Energy Regulator, NOPSEMA, and CSIRO all aware of the problem yet allowing the leak to continue unabated.
Drone monitoring conducted during 2019-2020 due diligence for the sale of Darwin LNG assets from ConocoPhillips to Santos estimated methane is leaking at up to 184kg per hour.
NT EPA extended Darwin LNG's operating life to 2050 without an environmental impact assessment – ConocoPhillips then disclosed the new monitoring results at the last minute, sharing details late in the afternoon on the same day that their license was extended.
