Australia Approves Santos Gas Field Development; Dirtiest Known Deposit In The Country - Reservoir CO2 Content 18%

Santos has received federal approval to commence production from its Barossa offshore gasfield off the coast of the Northern Territory. The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (Nopsema) decided to accept the environment plan for the project’s production operations. It marks the final approval required for the project, clearing the way for the gas giant to extract and pipe the gas to Darwin.

The Barossa field is known for its 18% carbon dioxide content, which is a higher concentration than other Australian gasfields. The development is projected to add more than 270m tonnes of heat-trapping CO2 to the atmosphere over its life once the gas is sold and burnt overseas. “This is Australia’s dirtiest gas project and it should never have been given the green light,” said Gavan McFadzean, the Australian Conservation Foundation’s climate change and clean energy program manager. “Barossa is a massive climate bomb that will produce more climate pollution than usable gas.”

McFadzean said despite repeated requests by ACF, Santos had not properly explained how the project would comply with Australia’s safeguard mechanism or provided a “proper assessment of how the greenhouse gas emissions from Barossa will affect Australia’s environment”. “Barossa remains on track for first gas in the third quarter of 2025 and within cost guidance,” a Santos spokesperson said in a statement provided to Guardian Australia on Tuesday.

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“Barossa is a massive climate bomb that will produce more climate pollution than usable gas.” McFadzean said despite repeated requests by ACF, Santos had not properly explained how the project would comply with Australia’s safeguard mechanism or provided a “proper assessment of how the greenhouse gas emissions from Barossa will affect Australia’s environment”. “Barossa remains on track for first gas in the third quarter of 2025 and within cost guidance,” a Santos spokesperson said in a statement provided to Guardian Australia on Tuesday. A Labor campaign spokesperson said the Albanese government was “working to put downward pressure on energy prices and emissions after a decade of delay, dysfunction and denial” and “focused squarely on transitioning our energy system”. “The Barossa Gas Project is subject to the Albanese Government’s strengthened safeguard mechanism, which requires major emitters to reduce or offset their emissions over time, in line with net zero by 2050 targets,” they said.

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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/22/santos-barossa-field-offshore-gas-project-final-approval-environment-climate-bomb-claims-ntwnfb