Barossa partners to invest up to A$10mn in Aboriginal communities

Santos, along with its joint venture partners in the Barossa gas project, on February 1 announced an investment of up to A$10mn ($6.52mn) in Northern Territory coastal Aboriginal communities and homelands. The investment aims to enhance community infrastructure, services, and cultural practices, fostering pathways to skilled jobs and business opportunities.

The funding, to be allocated as the Barossa gas project advances, will focus on improving the overall well-being of Aboriginal people in the region. It includes initiatives such as community and homeland infrastructure development, cultural programs, health and education services improvement, housing, and economic outcomes for the Northern Territory's Aboriginal population.

The partners have expressed their support for establishing a long-term fund, commencing at the project's production stage targeted for 2025. This fund would persist throughout the project's life, sharing the benefits with Northern Territory coastal Aboriginal communities. It is envisioned to contribute to community resilience, economic development, and capacity-building, emphasising the preservation of cultural practices.

“Achieving better employment outcomes for Aboriginal Territorians  depends on investments such as Barossa gas and Darwin LNG (DLNG) life extension to provide new job, business and other opportunities,” Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher said. 

The Barossa gas project is a significant offshore gas and condensate initiative designed to provide a fresh source of gas to the existing 3.7mn tonnes/year Darwin LNG facility in the Northern Territory. The $3.6bn investment programme got underway with the project's final investment decision last March 2021, with the first gas due in 2025. 

Despite previous legal challenges and litigations related to the project's drilling and pipeline plans, a recent Australian court decision has allowed Santos to proceed with the pipeline project, removing a major hurdle and paving the way for the long-anticipated Barossa gas project.