Beetaloo Basin Gas

The Beetaloo basin, a massive fossil fuel reservoir in the Northern Territory, has begun production, with federal resources minister Madeleine King marking the occasion with a photo opportunity. the basin is estimated to contain around 200 trillion cubic feet of gas, making it one of the largest non-oil gas fields outside the Middle East or Russia.

Location and Size

The Beetaloo basin spans approximately 28,000 square kilometres of Indigenous and pastoral land, located between Katherine and Tennant Creek, roughly 500km south-east of Darwin. The basin is home to shale gas, which is trapped inside sedimentary rock and can be extracted through fracking, a highly contentious process.

Environmental Impact

The extraction and burning of gas from the Beetaloo basin is expected to release a significant amount of heat-trapping pollution, contributing to climate change. The full emissions released from extracting, processing, transporting, and burning the gas must be offset through the purchase of carbon credits, as recommended by a government inquiry in 2018. However, the NT Labor administration abandoned this recommendation after the gas industry objected.

Economic and Energy Implications

The Country Liberal party has supported the development of the Beetaloo basin, citing energy affordability concerns. However, the Guardian notes that gas is routinely the most expensive form of energy used in Australia, and production at new basins such as the Beetaloo will be even more expensive. The cost of producing gas from the Beetaloo basin could multiply if a federally backed gas pipeline to the east coast is built.

Climate Change Implications

The development of the Beetaloo basin has significant implications for climate change, with the potential to release large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. A UN Environment Programme report has warned that the Paris agreement goal of limiting global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels will inevitably be passed, and a temperature rise that peaks at 1.8C is now the most optimistic future available. The report emphasizes the need for immediate and sustained emissions cuts to mitigate the risks of extreme weather, glacier melt, and coastal and island submersion.

The Beetaloo basin's potential expansion should be taken seriously, with several projects in the works. The Guardian's Lisa Cox has reported that the development of the basin has been driven by politicians prioritizing gas industry demands, offering taxpayer support, and pushing aside concerns about the impact on culture and water resources raised by some traditional owners. As the Albanese government celebrates the opening of the Beetaloo basin, it is not yet clear how it will balance its support for the gas industry with its commitment to addressing climate change.