Beetaloo Energy has secured the final regulatory approval from the Northern Territory Government to advance to pilot production and gas sales from EP187 on Aboriginal Freehold land, with a further Section 57AAA approval expected to enable ongoing appraisal gas sales for years.

This move positions Beetaloo as a cornerstone owner in what could become a major onshore energy hub in Australia, enabling early cash flow and paving the way for infrastructure and funding readiness.

Civil works for the project are underway and total installed costs are expected to be lower than a comparable new-build plant, supporting capital efficiency.

Stimulation began in mid-June using extensive water and sand in fractures, followed by a soak and flow testing; results are awaited to inform reservoir performance.

Beetaloo controls a 28.9 million acre expanse in the McArthur Basin and Beetaloo Sub-basin, home to the thick Velkerri Shales averaging about 300 metres in gross thickness, marking it as a leading shale gas frontier.

The project is planned to deliver molecules directly into the Territory gas market via the McArthur River pipeline, strengthening regional energy supply.

Civil works are progressing for a pilot plant that will process Carpentaria project gas and feed into the McArthur River pipeline, with initial production targeted for mid-2026 subject to the wet season.

The Northern Territory currently relies on gas-fired electricity and imports gas as ENI’s Blacktip field declines, underscoring the region’s need for new local gas supply.

With consent secured, construction of the Carpentaria gas plant can begin; the plant was acquired from AGL in 2023 for $2.5 million and is backed by a $30 million Macquarie Bank credit facility to fund the build-out.

The project has a fully approved environmental program to drill, complete, and tie in up to 10 wells, aiming to convert appraisal wells into pilot production for early cash flow.

The Northern Territory Government has signed a long-term gas offtake agreement with Beetaloo, starting at a minimum 25 TJ per day and potentially rising to 35 TJ as production ramps.

Traditional Owner endorsement was completed with the Mambaliya Rrumburriya Wuyaliya Aboriginal Land Trust and Northern Land Council, marking the social license to proceed.