Northern Territory leads Australia’s gas investment boom

In the global chessboard of energy investment, the spotlight is moving—and it’s now fixed on the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. 

For the third consecutive quarter, the NT has outpaced every other region in the country for oil and gas exploration investments. 

But why is this remote region turning heads in boardrooms from Houston to Sydney?

Let’s break down what’s driving this momentum—and what it means for the future of gas.

1. Consistent Capital Flow Between January and March 2025 alone, the NT attracted A$151 million in exploration investment, Argus reported. 

That’s on top of the A$196 million and A$105 million recorded in the two previous quarters. This isn’t a fluke—it’s a trend.

2. Beetaloo Basin: Australia’s shale awakening South of Darwin lies the Beetaloo sub-basin, one of the most talked-about shale gas plays in the Asia-Pacific region. 

With companies like Tamboran Resources and Beetaloo Energy leading the charge, drilling and testing efforts are intensifying. Beetaloo could be to Australia what the Permian is to the U.S.

3. Infrastructure in the making Tamboran has tapped U.S. engineering giant Bechtel for early works on a 6.6 million tonnes/year LNG plant, with completion expected by mid-2025. 

Parallel to this, they’re partnering with Santos to explore expanding the Darwin LNG terminal. The signal is clear: this isn’t just exploration—it’s preparation for large-scale exports.

4. Onshore is King While offshore gas projects once dominated the Australian landscape, the tide is shifting.

In Q1, onshore projects absorbed 70% of total exploration investment, with offshore slipping to 30%, down from 42% a year earlier.

5. Other Regions Losing Steam Western Australia, historically the gas giant of the country, saw a staggering 77% drop in investment. 

Queensland’s numbers also fell 35% year-over-year. In contrast, NT’s consistent growth hints at a rebalancing of Australia’s energy map.

6. Victoria Reenters the Game Long considered a difficult jurisdiction for gas development, Victoria is signaling a policy pivot.

It approved an environmental plan for a new LNG import terminal and allocated A$15 million to gas exploration in Q1. 

This is small, but symbolically significant, especially as local supply from the Gippsland Basin continues to fall.

The Bigger Picture With global LNG demand projected to rise and countries seeking secure, democratic suppliers, Australia is back in focus—but with a new epicenter. 

The Northern Territory’s stability, vast reserves, and growing infrastructure make it a strategic bet.

Northern Territory leads Australia’s gas investment boom