Santos gets green light for Barossa gas project

The news: Santos has received clearance from federal offshore regulator, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), to proceed with drilling at its $5.8 billion Barossa gas project in the Timor Sea.

The numbers: Six subsea production wells are planned to be drilled and completed as part of Santos' revised plan. Drilling on the offshore gas facility, about 265 kilometres north of Darwin, was suspended in September 2022 after a federal court found that the oil and gas giant had not adequately consulted with local Indigenous people.

The context: In October, Tiwi Islands traditional owner Simon Munkara sought a temporary injunction to stop work on the project, which is intended to supply replacement gas for the Dawin LNG export plant. NOPSEMA's latest decision follows last month's federal court ruling that Santos cannot fully lay undersea pipes at the project until January 2024 at the earliest.