Australian Regulator Wants Tougher Pollution Rules for Darwin LNG Plants
Two of Australia's biggest LNG projects led by Santos and Inpex could face stricter environmental and pollution reporting rules after the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) recommended 23 ways to address a previous under-reporting of emissions. The regional EPA of the state that hosts Inpex's Ichthys LNG and Santos' Darwin LNG has just announced the outcome of a review…
The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) in Australia has proposed 23 measures to regulate two major liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, Darwin LNG and Ichthys LNG, in response to under-reporting of emissions. These projects, led by Australian firms Santos and Inpex, were the subject of a review initiated due to Inpex's significant upward revision of its 2023/24 emissions estimates in October 2025.
The review revealed discrepancies between reported and actual emissions, particularly concerning benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), triggering concerns about potential health impacts on the community. The NT EPA's recommendations include implementing numerical emission concentration limits, stricter limits on hot venting, and biennial audits to ensure facilities are adhering to best practices for pollution control.
For Ichthys LNG, the agency specifically suggests installing continuous monitoring equipment for real-time measurement of key pollutants, including benzene. Together, Ichthys LNG and Darwin LNG contribute approximately 10% of annual LNG imports to Japan and Taiwan.
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