APA Group clears Indigenous land agreement for Beetaloo Basin pipeline

The APA Group has cleared the Indigenous land agreement and has been given the all-clear to begin operations in the Beetaloo Basin. The agreement is seen as a milestone and allows the company to begin its ambitious plans for operation in the region. The conflict between energy companies and local indigenous land owners has led to several protests in recent years, and protesters have demanded a stop to drilling operations in several regions. But when an energy company takes the time to meet with relevant stakeholders to determine an amicable plan for drilling operations, the results often benefit everyone involved.

The deal has some details that have protesters concerned

Chief among those concerns is the fact that the milestone agreement closes the door to Traditional Owner consents required to move forward with the project. APA announced an agreement called the Indigenous Land Use Agreement, or ILUA for short, to appease traditional land owners’ concerns over the Sturt Plateau Pipeline (SPP).

The agreement has established a clear and concise framework for APA to continue discussions with Traditional Owners as APA progresses the SPP. The deal is aimed at addressing mounting concerns over social, economic, and environmental considerations that the local population has. And the evidence of energy companies circumventing the interests and well-being of locals is only a short click away.

“The Sturt Plateau Pipeline is the crucial first-stage link to enable Beetaloo gas to reach power generation assets that keep the lights on across the Northern Territory and this agreement provides the required consent from Traditional Owners to progress this important project. The registration of this ILUA provides a strong foundation for the Sturt Plateau Pipeline to proceed in close partnership with Traditional Owners, ensuring the project is delivered safely and responsibly. This is a critical milestone as we work to maintain positive and lasting relationships with Traditional Owners and builds on the agreement already in place with APA’s customer.” – APA CEO and Managing Director Adam Watson

The Northern Territory Government has approved the project

APA’s CEO, Adam Watson, has stated that his company is fully committed to full transparency and cooperation with local land owners to ensure a successful project that not only benefits the company financially but also serves the people of the Northern Territory. That sounds a lot like corporate speak that we’ve heard before.

Despite overwhelming evidence that energy companies often do not consider the effects their projects have on the local population, APA has reiterated that they are doing things differently. The Northern Territory Government has awarded the required licenses to begin operations, indicating that they are happy with APA’s approach to the inclusion of the local stakeholders.

The Sturt Plateau Pipeline consists of a 37-kilometre pipeline that will connect Tamboran’s Shenandoah South Pilot Project in the Beetaloo Basin to APA’s Amadeus Gas Pipeline (AGP). The aim for the locals is to establish a structure for consistent energy production and allow the region to become self-sufficient, to a degree.

The massive pipeline project is set to be completed next year

The reports from APA suggest that the project will begin operations in September of this year and will cost roughly $66.5 million. For far too long, the Indigenous people of the region have suffered and been subjected to several companies aiming to milk the region dry of all of its valuable resources that could amount to billions in assets. We have all heard the horror stories relating to the treatment of Indigenous people by the companies entering their homes and land to reap the huge benefits of operating in the region with little to no oversight. At least this new project will be different, hopefully.