Call on NT govt to prosecute and Minister Plibersek to pull the ‘water trigger’
Empire says ‘no’ to previously agreed independent water testing
WHAT: Two companies actively drilling fracking wells in the Beetaloo Basin, Empire Energy and Tamboran Resources, have had 7 significant compliance breaches over the last 12 months, with significant spills and potential contamination events reported by both companies ( ABC story here).
Traditional custodians and an independent water scientist visited Empire’s Carpentaria Pilot Project site on 13 March 2025 to test fluids at the site from which a spill of fracking fluids and drilling muds occurred. Having consented before the visit, on the day Empire refused access to the well site for testing, without reason. Dr Wright’s report is here.
A referenced summary of the new incidents can be found here. The breaches include Empire spilling fracking flowback fluid and, in a separate incident, drilling mud from a split hose, with these highly toxic liquids moving off the wellpad and onto country at its Carpentaria Pilot Project. At Tamboran’s Shenandoah South site incidents include: spilling 1210L of drilling fluids with 20L split outside the bund wall; spilling an additional 317L of drilling mud onto the drill pad and a too high freeboard on a drill sump duing the wet season, putting the sump at risk of overflowing and contamination during a heavy rain event. At Tamboran’s Amungee NW site, an inactive well site was found to have solid salt crystallisation on the wellpad, posing a contamination risk which is suspected to be related to a reported incident of a leak in 2017.
WHO: Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation represents native title holders from the Beetaloo Basin. Nurrdalinji has made several submissions opposing fracking in the region, noting significant concerns about risks to country and water. Nurrdalinji has also written to the Federal Minister for the Environment, Tanya Plibersek, urging her to use water trigger provisions to scrutinise the water impacts of Empire and Tamboran’s fracking operations.
Nurrdalinji director Cain O’Keefe, who lives in Borroloola and speaks from the Karranjini group, who visited the site for water testing and also went to Federal Parliament in February as part of a delegation of Traditional Owners speaking out about the impact of fracking on their country said, “The contamination from this spill, which has drained out on country, is still sitting there, waiting for the next rain to keep flowing down into our creeks and rivers.
“How is it that these breaches have already happened and we don't know nothing about it? All we want is transparency and to protect country from harm.
“We can see the country already suffering. The Territory government needs to punish the company. Tanya Plibersek must pull the water trigger so these projects can be assessed. What is she waiting for? How much more damage needs to be done before the Government steps in and does something?”
Water scientist and Associate Professor of Environmental Science, University of Western Sydney, Dr Ian Wright said, “Initially Empire agreed to collect and test samples from the drill pad for the sake of traditional owners, to see what contaminants are in the water that might be hazardous to humans and the environment.
“Empire allowed us to visit the contaminated area, which is on Aboriginal land, but refused to give us access to the drilling site itself.
“In 30 years of doing this sort of work with communities and miners, I've never had anything like this happen. We had agreement and then Empire broke it. It begs the question, what is in the fluids and why wouldn't they let us test them? It's hard not to form a view that Empire is trying to hide something from traditional owners.
“I'm concerned that a lot of the liquid in this country percolates down through the soil and into the aquifer, or in wet weather, when the rains come, it's transferred downstream. A lot of these impacts will be potentially hidden until they accumulate or there’s a giant accident.
“The more activity that occurs, the greater likelihood that there will be more of these accidents and residual contamination.”
Dr Louise Woodward, a Paediatrician from Darwin said, “There is clear evidence of multiple contamination episodes on both the Tamboran and Empire well pads. These contaminants can enter water and food chains and are known to increase the risks to unborn children and worsen chronic diseases particularly those related to heart, lung, kidney disease and diabetes.
“People living close to these wells already have very high levels of chronic disease that will ultimately be exacerbated by cumulative contamination events such as these”.
Photos for download of spokespeople and site visit here.
Footage of Empire’s EP 187 and the well pad flooded after Cyclone Megan, April 2024 available on request.
Background to Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation
Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation has members across the Beetaloo Basin and Barkly regions. It includes native title holders from the Amungee Mungee, Beetaloo, Hayfield, Kalala, Newcastle Waters - Murranji, Nutwood Downs, Shenandoah, Tandyidgee, Tanumbirini, Daly Waters Township, Ucharonidge native title determinations.
The Beetaloo sub-basin is located around 500 kilometres south-east of Darwin. It embraces Aboriginal land, pastoral leases (which co-exist with Native Title rights and interests), horticultural enterprises, cattle stations and remote Aboriginal communities. A number of companies are currently undertaking fracked gas drilling in the region, with most of the NT covered by exploration permits.