Action item 7.13

Progress

100%

Complete.
Approved by decision makers.
Recommendation implemented.

Upon a gas company undertaking any exploration activity or production activity, monitoring of the groundwater must be implemented around each well pad to detect any groundwater contamination, adopting the monitoring outlined in Recommendation 7.11. If contamination is detected, remediation must commence immediately.

Target completion date

Completed.

Reform area
Safeguarding water and the environment
Project action
Assessing, protecting and monitoring water resources
Lead agency
Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security

Action item update

Implementation

The Northern Territory Government worked with independent scientific experts to develop the Code of Practice for Onshore Petroleum Activities in the Northern Territory (the Code) relative to the Inquiry recommendation. The Code is legally enforceable through the Petroleum (Environment) Regulations 2016. The finalised Code was published on 12 June 2019 and is on the DEPWS website.

The Code requires proponents to comply with the Preliminary Guideline for groundwater monitoring bores for exploration petroleum wells in the Beetaloo Sub-basin. The guideline was finalised and distributed on 29 November 2018, and is on the DEPWS website.