We can’t trust Santos with our air quality, and we can’t trust them with our water. 

Santos wants to start fracking at Tanumbirini Station south-east of Katherine, in a region marked by majestic paperbark forests, sweeping ghost gum floodplains, sandstone gorges, and magical hot springs that until recently were completely unknown to western science.  

It’s the biggest fracking project ever proposed by Santos, signalling a massive expansion of gas exports – with the Territory’s iconic waterways and landscapes paying the price.  

What’s at risk?  

Experts say that Santos’ plan poses substantial risks to our precious groundwater and the incredible ecosystems that rely on it.  

Santos’ fracking plans will see toxic chemicals pumped through Cambrian Limestone aquifer, a geological formation the size of France that supplies fresh water for communities, tourism, farming and pastoral industries and feeds our iconic springs and waterways.   

This ancient underground water source is the very lungs of the Territory – and contamination with toxic fracking chemicals could be catastrophic. 

They also want to build drillpads and store toxic wastewater in the middle of a flood plain, close to the majestic Hot Springs valley as well as creeks that discharge into the Cox and Limmen Bight River systems.  

What can be done?  

Santos has submitted its fracking plans for approval by the NT Government, but Territorians know they can’t trust the Finocchiaro Government to protect our water, nature, and communities.  

So, it’s up to Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt to stand up for the Territory, and call Santos’ fracking project in for assessment under Federal environment laws.  

Will you send an email below and demand that Labor stand up to Santos and defend the Territory's water and nature? 

The Albanese Government's proposal to bulk purchase gas under the East Coast gas market review would reward the gas cartel's bad behaviour by propping up their coffers with taxpayer funds and incentivise opening new gas fields at the expense of water, climate and communities, Australia's leading State the Territory Conservation Councils said in a joint statement.

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.