This is a national scandal and an unfolding disaster.  

We obtained explosive FOI documents showing that Santos’ gas export hub in Darwin - one of Australia’s major gas export facilities and a gateway for fossil fuel exports to Asia - has been leaking methane for nearly 20 years and there’s been a massive cover up. 

It's clear that regulators have been asleep at the wheel. The NT Environment Protection Agency (NTEPA), NT Worksafe, Clean Energy Regulator, National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), and CSIRO all knew about the leak, but failed to require Santos to fix it, or inform the public.   

In late September 2025, despite national outrage and a very clear message from the Darwin community, the Northern Territory EPA has renewed the Santos gas export hub license for another five years.

While we are deeply disappointed by this news, it’s clear that our collective outcry about the leak did result in new license conditions – but they simply do not go far enough. 

Under the terms of its new license, Santos will be required to submit a Fugitive Emissions Management Plan to the NTEPA within the next six months and determine the leak concentration above which repair will be undertaken - if possible.

Santos must fix the leak. 
 
Santos has not fixed the leak, and not a single regulator has stood up them. It’s not good enough. 

Without urgent action, it’s likely that Santos will let this massive methane leak continue for another 25 years. 

Santos must finally be held responsible and made to fix the leak. Anything less is totally unacceptable for our climate and for the safety of the Darwin community.    

The Albanese Government must fix the problem.

This scandal points to systemic regulatory failures that cannot be allowed to continue. These failures must be thoroughly investigated and fixed through legislative and policy reform - we can't let this happen again.

Take action today.

Will you send the letter below to the NT EPA and the Albanese Government to demand urgent action?

1. The NTEPA must make Santos fix the leak and investigate prosecuting Santos for pollution offences 
2. The Albanese Government must investigate the systemic failures of the Clean Energy Regulator, NOPSEMA, and CSIRO to hold Santos to account.   
3. Federal laws must require the highest standard of leak measurement, detection and reporting to make sure big gas companies can’t get away with hiding their emissions. 

The Finocchiaro government has gutted its rules around the regulation of climate pollution in the Northern Territory, just months after scrapping its promised 2030 emissions reduction target.