Gas giant prosecuted after under-reporting toxic emissions

NT EPA prosecutes gas company Inpex, for under-reporting toxic emissionsPosted Wed 5 Aug 2026 at 11:21amWed 5 Aug 2026 at 11:21amThe Inpex LNG facility on Darwin Harbour. (ABC News: Dane Hirst)The Northern Territory's environmental regulator has charged Japanese gas giant Inpex for under-reporting the amount of toxic emissions it released from the Ichthys facility near Darwin.The NT Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said it decided to prosecute after Inpex told the regulator it had significantly under-reported the level of benzene and toluene emissions between 2019 and 2024.In a statement, the NT EPA said the under-reporting allegedly represented a breach of Inpex's environmental licence to operate."The NT EPA licences Ichthys LNG through an environment protection licence, originally granted on 13 December 2017," the statement said."Under the licence, Ichthys LNG is required to annually report total emissions to air in tonnes to the NT EPA."In October 2025, Ichthys LNG informed the NT EPA of significant under-reporting of emissions from the Ichthys LNG facility. The NT EPA has now commenced prosecution in relation to this matter."The NT EPA recently recommended changes to the licences of Darwin's two major gas processing companies, Santos and Inpex, after Inpex's under-reporting triggered a review.The NT EPA said it would not provide further comment while the matter is before the courts.It is understood the matter will appear in Darwin Local Court, but a date is yet to be finalised.Inpex was contacted for comment.More to come.