Inpex admits oil spill at Darwin alongside release of toxic emissions data
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The news: Global Japanese oil and gas company, Inpex, said that it had under-calculated the amount of benzene emissions from its gas plant at Bladin Point, just kilometres from Darwin’s CBD, by 13,400%.
The numbers: Emissions of benzene jumped from 4.12 tonnes reported in 2023-24, to 556.9 tonnes – an increase of more than 13,400%.
Total volatile organic compounds jumped from 1618.83 tonnes reported over the same period to 3562.3 tonnes.
The context: The statement from Inpex follows the launch of an investigation into the company by the NT government last week after Inpex first admitted the error. Inpex had said that the error had not resulted in an "increased health risk to the community" but did not disclose further details, stoking concerns that the company had been hiding the scale of the issue.
The statement and accompanying factsheet released Thursday says that Darwin benzene air quality levels are at less than 0.0006 parts per million – at least five times lower than Monitoring Investigating Levels (MIL - 0.003 parts per million).
“This level identifies situations prompting evaluation of causes and potential impacts of elevated benzene concentration. If these limits are exceeded in the short-term it does not mean adverse health effects automatically occur,” Inpex said.
Inpex also admitted to a 36,000 litre oil spill on 13 October 2025, with heavy rain impacting the plant’s stormwater system and allegedly washing oil into Darwin Harbour and surrounding mangrove forests.
The statement said that “INPEX takes full accountability for these unintentional errors which have been reported to the NT EPA. INPEX is committed to continue working closely with the NT EPA and NT regulators. INPEX assures the community it has not intentionally misreported on this matter. Emissions calculations for previous years are currently under review. “
What they said: Executive director for conservation group Environment Centre NT, Kirsty Howey, said: “This diabolical failure is another sign that the gas industry has got our regulators and politicians in a chokehold. We’ve been hearing about air quality sensors going off at the INPEX plant for years, and this has confirmed our worst fears.”
“This is a huge breach of public trust and questions need to be answered. We repeat our calls for a public meeting where regulators and industry front up to the community and tell us what they’re going to do to clean up this mess.”
The sources: Inpex statement, Inpex factsheet, Inpex oil spill
