Page 14 - AsianOil Week 08 2023

AsianOil POLICY AsianOil

Court overturns ex-PM's decision

to prevent offshore gas project

AUSTRALIA AN Australian court on August 21 overturned made in secret.
a controversial decision by the previous prime An independent inquiry in November 2022
The court said the minister to block a gas exploration project off concluded that Morrison's decision to secretly
decision was not Australia’s east coast, paving the way for devel- appoint himself to five ministries, including
impartial. opment to finally go forward. resources, during the pandemic, undermined
The Federal Court quashed former Prime trust in government.
Minister Scott Morrison's decision to prevent A separate legal struggle is playing out at San-
development of petroleum exploration per- tos’ $3.6bn Barossa gas project in the country’s
mit 11 in the Sydney basin offshore New South north. In late January a regulator instructed the
Wales State. It concluded that the decision may company to assess environmental risks to under-
not have been impartial. water indigenous cultural heritage before com-
The ruling means the permit can now be con- mencing pipeline construction.
sidered by the Commonwealth of New South Australia’s offshore regulator announced the
Wales Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority. It requirement on January 13. It followed a court
comes after an agreement reached by the pro- order made in December, which stated that San-
ject's owners and the Australian government to tos must consult indigenous people on the Tiwi
end the court fight earlier in February. Lands regarding the environmental impact of
The project is 85% controlled by Asset Energy, the project’s drilling plan.
a unit of BPH Energy, while the remaining share Pipeline construction was meant to begin at
is owned by Bounty Oil & Gas. the end of January, with first gas from Barossa
Asset Energy last year contested Morrison's targeted for the first half of 2025. Santos has no
decision to block the permit’s development, date for when the new assessment will be com-
citing the fact he had done so in his capacity as pleted, and it is now unclear when drilling will
resources minister – a ministerial appointment resume, a spokesperson told Reuters. ™

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