<article><p class="lead">Australia's upstream regulator has ordered independent Santos to delay work on the Barossa gas pipeline to supply Darwin LNG while it consults on culturally significant underwater sites.</p><p>Work on the pipeline, connecting the Barossa gas field in the Bonaparte basin offshore the Northern Territory to the 3.7mn t/yr Darwin LNG, must not start until the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (Nopsema) is satisfied that Santos has minimised risk to sites culturally important to the Tiwi Islands people. Santos had planned to start building the pipeline in late January, aiming to deliver its first gas to Darwin in 2025.</p><p>The delay follows a <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2372704">Federal Court of Australia ruling that Santos must stop drilling in the Barossa</a> because it had not sufficiently consulted the traditional owners of the Tiwi islands before drilling.</p><p>The $3.6bn Barossa gas field is to provide backfill gas for Darwin LNG operated by Santos. It is currently supplied by the Bayu-Undan field in the Timor Sea, which is scheduled to cease production early this year. Darwin LNG will then be closed for a refurbishment ahead of gas being delivered from Barossa. </p><p>The original case against Santos was filed by Tiwi senior lawman Dennis Tipakalippa, who argued that the Nopsema should not have approved Santos' plans to drill the Barossa field because it had not properly consulted the Munupi clan. Santos has scheduled community consultation sessions with Tiwi islanders over 6-8 February.</p><p>Barossa is 50pc owned by Santos, 37.5pc owned by South Korea's SK E&amp;S and 12.5pc owned by Japanese upstream firm Jera.</p><p class="bylines">By Jo Clarke</p></article>
