Traditional Owners want the Northern Territory government to prosecute gas explorers after a recent fracking spill at Beetaloo Basin caused lingering environmental damage.
The two companies actively drilling fracking wells in the Beetaloo Basin - Empire Energy and Tamboran Resources - have had seven compliance breaches over the past 12 months, with significant spills and potential contamination events.
Traditional Custodians and independent water scientist Dr Ian Wright were also denied entry to Empire's Carpentaria Pilot Project site on March 13 to test fluids after a spill of fracking fluids and drilling muds.
Having consented before the visit, Empire then refused them access to the well site on the day for testing.
Traditional Custodians have sent National Indigenous Times photos showing devastating damage to the environment, including dead eucalyptus trees, vegetation, shrubs and and grass, near Empire Energy's site at Beetaloo Basin, after a spill of 2000 litres of contaminated wastewater last December.
Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation – which represents Native Title holders from the Beetaloo Basin – has made several submissions opposing fracking in the region, noting significant concerns about risks to Country and water.
They urged federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek in a recent letter to use "water trigger" provisions so impact to Country and contamination levels where Empire and Tamboran operates could be detailed.
The Beetaloo sub-basin - roughly 500 kilometres south-east of Darwin – is surrounded by Aboriginal land, pastoral leases (which co-exist with Native Title rights and interests), horticultural enterprises, cattle stations and remote Aboriginal communities.
Several companies are currently fracked gas drilling in the region, with most of the NT covered by exploration permits.
Nurrdalinji director Cain O'Keefe - who lives nearby in Borroloola with his family and speaks for the Karranjini group - has been employed by Empire Energy to survey land for cultural significance and work at the Carpentaria site during drilling of Carp 5.
In January NAC noted a subsidiary of Empire Energy - Imperial Oil and Gas - reported pumping 2,000 litres of saline water and fracking flowback fluid - from the lid of a holding tank for drilling of the Carpentaria 5 well pad - into nearby vegetation, which became "stressed".
At the time, Mr O'Keefe said the incident was "on top of a string of other breaches" across four years of drilling and testing four wells in the Beetaloo Basin.
Empire Energy recently obtained approval for nine new wells as part of its "Carpentaria Pilot Project".
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