Economists believe that the commercial development of shale gas will transform the Northern Territory’s economy indefinitely by directly and indirectly creating thousands of well-paid jobs.

Beyond this, Tamboran’s proposed NTLNG facility at Middle Arm will further position Australia as a leading gas exporter, generating billions in revenue for the NT Government through royalties and taxes.

A strong onshore NT gas industry will improve business opportunities, jobs, regional development and, most importantly, drive down energy prices for the Territory and the East Coast.

The East Coast’s looming energy crisis has been at the forefront of consumers’ minds, with soaring costs and enormous grid pressure even prompting Premier-level requests to turn off air conditioning and reduce power usage.

Development of the Beetaloo has the potential to restore domestic gas surpluses, earn Australia billions in royalties and provide much-needed energy security.

Tamboran chief executive Joel Riddle’s drive, enthusiasm and willingness to “think big” are acknowledged by the industry as the key reasons for Tamboran being the lead player in the Beetaloo project.

It’s clear to many in the Territory and the industry in general that without him the Beetaloo
would not be where it is now.

Mr Riddle says that there are three key pillars underpinning Tamboran’s vision for the Beetaloo: reliability, sustainability and security.

“The Beetaloo will deliver much-needed reliability for Australia’s domestic energy future, provide much-needed energy security for Australia and our region and, as we transition to a cleaner, low-emissions energy grid, create local economic opportunities for Territorians, Native Title holders, landholders and the wider community.”

Tamboran is backed by Liberty Energy, whose chief executive, Chris Wright, was recently sworn in as the United States’ new Secretary of Energy.

Liberty Energy has made a $15.2 million investment to support operations and bring new technology to the Beetaloo.

Mr Wright says Beetaloo gas production “could help energise Australia’s future and meet Asia’s insatiable demand for natural gas to power economic growth, improve air quality and lower greenhouse gas emissions”.

“Beetaloo development perfectly aligns with our broader mission to better human lives,” he says.

Mr Riddle, who joined Tamboran as chief executive in 2013, says the company is “acutely aware” of its duty to preserve and protect the local environment and biodiversity.

Tamboran is already working with Native Title holders and the Northern Land Council to ensure the project is a genuine partnership that represents significant and long-term economic benefits for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.

The development pathway is to first supply energy security to the NT and then Australia’s East Coast market before exporting LNG to overseas customers.

Tamboran has committed that the first gas produced in the Beetaloo will supply the NT and be for the benefit of Territorians. Unlike previous gas projects in the NT, any Beetaloo gas exported as LNG will also generate NT gas royalties, benefiting all Territorians.

If Australia develops its own natural gas reserves, this will ensure that our energy supply is not linked to the price set by foreign markets.

Tamboran has signed an MOU with resource giant Santos to explore the viability of continuing collaborative work for a prospective expansion.

The Santos-operated plant is approved for a nominal 10 million tonnes per annum of LNG, which will be increased by about six million tonnes per annum if the expansion goes ahead.

Not only will Tamboran be leveraging our natural advantages and help to deliver jobs and financial benefits
to Native Title holders in the region, it will also play a significant role in smoothing Australia’s transition towards managing more renewables into energy grids.

Results so far show that Beetaloo natural gas has lower reservoir CO2 levels compared with other large gas resources in the north of Australia.

Additionally, Tamboran believes that prosperity goes beyond economic success and extends to the success of the communities in which it operates.

Tamboran is committed to working with elite and local community sporting organisations to provide locals, especially young people, the opportunity to share in the personal and community building aspects of sport.

These include local engagement and sponsorships with the Tamboran Darwin Salties basketball team, the Dolphins in the NRL, and Elliott’s male and female Aussie Rules
teams, the Hawks and Hawkettes.

As the Northern Territory’s strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific becomes clearer by the day, with its vast land, thriving industries, abundant energy resources, and growing infrastructure, now is the time to act, especially with growing technology demands to support the defence forces.

“Outback NT is more than well-positioned for data centre investment, even beyond its obvious strategic advantages,” says Mr Riddle.

“AUKUS cooperation will inevitably rely on large-scale AI capabilities to facilitate seamless trilateral communication.

“We have the energy, strategic location and world-class data connectivity in the Northern Territory connecting us to the world, so data centres are also part of our plans going forward.” TQ