Australian pipeline company APA has finished building the Sturt Plateau pipeline (SPP) linking the Beetaloo sub-basin to the 145 TJ/d (3.9mn m³/d) Amadeus gas pipeline, it announced today in its results for its 2025-26 fiscal year ending 30 June.
The project to connect Australian shale gas explorer Tamboran Resources' 40 TJ/d Shenandoah South pilot plant is considered the first step to evaluating the region's commercial gas reserves, with potential for the sub-basin to supply domestic gas, LNG terminals and gas-fired data centres under a multitude of plans.
First gas from the Shenandoah South pilot plant is due to start in the current quarter, the firm said. Phase 2 of SPP will provide additional compression to increase flows to 100 TJ/d. Phase 3, a proposed northeast Australia pipeline, would be a multi-billion-dollar investment to connect Beetaloo to eastern Australia, including the three LNG projects based at Gladstone in Queensland state.
The Northern Territory government has supported the Beetaloo developers by signing binding sales agreements with Tamboran for 40 TJ/d and with Beetaloo Energy, formerly Empire Energy, for up to 25 TJ/d from its pilot plant.
The government said this will meet its requirement of 55–60 TJ/d to power essential services.
APA approved works to expand capacity on its gas network in the eastern states in February including A$480mn ($342mn) for new compressors, to boost capacity ahead of the 2028 winter months.
APA's 2025-26 revenue fell to A$3bn from 2024-25's A$3.2bn, while net profit after tax rose to A$234mn from last year's A$129mn. Capital and investment expenditure was A$845mn, down from A$964mn in 2024-25.
Australia is grappling with possible gas shortfalls in southern states from 2029. LNG imports are proposed, which APA strongly opposes, preferring to expand its pipeline grid to supply more gas from developer-friendly northern Australia to Victoria and New South Wales states, where older coal-fired power plants are due to retire, which would lead to higher gas demand for electricity generation.
