Apply for a pipeline licence

Energy pipelines convey energy-producing hydrocarbons like oil, gas or condensates at a pressure above 1050kPa.

Constructing and operating a high-pressure energy pipeline is a multi-stage process.

This guide provides information on how to apply for an energy pipelines licence for a petroleum pipeline.

Before you apply for a licence you must identify the proposed pipeline route and access points.

Contact the Energy Division at the start of your energy pipeline project for information about how to apply, the laws and other requirements.

Energy pipelines are administered under the Energy Pipelines Act 1981 and Energy Pipelines Regulations 2001.

When they are in the three nautical mile strip of Northern Territory coastal waters they are administered under the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1981.

Before you apply for a pipeline licence in the Northern Territory (NT) you must identify the proposed pipeline route and access points along it including sites for equipment and other works.

Get access to land

You will need to negotiate access with the landholder, leaseholder, native title parties and / or Traditional Owner.

Check whether your route crosses any areas of Aboriginal freehold land or land affected by native title.

If the pipeline will be situated on Aboriginal freehold land, you must negotiate an agreement with the Traditional Owner and their representative land council to access the land.

For NT freehold or pastoral leasehold, you must negotiate an access agreement with the landowner or leaseholder.

If the route crosses any parks or reserves you may need to get special permission. To find out about getting a permit, and what special conditions might apply, contact NT Parks and Wildlife.

Apply for a pipeline permit

A pipeline permit provides you with the right to enter land with any vehicles, equipment and personnel, carry out surveys and undertake sampling activities, for the purpose of determining the proposed route of the pipeline, the proposed situation of apparatus or works and access routes.

You must apply for a pipeline permit, unless you already know the proposed route of the pipeline or location of apparatus and works. For example, you may not require a pipeline permit prior to applying for a pipeline licence, if the pipeline is to be situated in an existing road corridor or dedicated infrastructure corridor and no additional data is required.

To apply for a pipeline permit, you must do all of the following:

• fill in the permit application form
• provide all of the following information - see section 5(2) in the Energy Pipelines Act 1981:
  • the pipeline’s beginning and end points
  • title references for the land to be entered
  • maps showing the location of the land, the proposed pipeline route, locations for equipment or works and land needed for possible access points
  • details of any agreement, or proposed agreement, related to entry onto the land
  • details of financial and technical resources.
• pay the fee and submit the application.

Read more about fees and rents.

A pipeline licence gives you the right to construct and operate a pipeline within a specific area along a specific route.

It is not consent to actually do so. It just establishes your claim across the land.

You need separate consents and management plans to construct and operate a pipeline.

How to apply

Section 13 of the Energy Pipelines Act 1981 provides detailed information on the supporting information to be provided with your pipeline licence application.

To apply for a pipeline licence, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the application for pipeline licence.

Application for pipeline licence PDF (178.6 KB)
Application for pipeline licence DOCX (66.4 KB)

Step 2. Provide the following information:

• technical and engineering details about the design and construction of the pipeline
• the pipelines size and capacity
• the substance to be conveyed
• the provisions for cathodic protection
• proposed work and expenditure for construction of the pipeline
• machinery and equipment to be used for construction of the pipeline
• a map showing:
  • the proposed pipeline route
  • the proposed licence area and pipeline corridor
  • the location of proposed apparatus or works
  • the land required for access
  • any Aboriginal land and land held by the Commonwealth as well as any easements or land acquired or agreed to be acquired
• details of existing or proposed land access agreements
• name and address of each person whose operation or interest in the land may be affected by section 66 of the Act including details of any agreements or arrangements
• details of financial and technical resources.

Step 3. Serve a notice to the following and attach a copy:

• each local government council where the proposed pipeline is intended to be situated
• each owner and occupier of land and each person whose operation or interest in the land may be affected by the operation of section 66 of the Act
• the registered native title claimants and registered native title body corporate (if any) for any affected land or waters
• the representative Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander body for any affected land or waters unless the grant of the licence is not a future Act.

• Each notice must include:
  • a description of the affected land or waters of the land
  • statements to the following effect:
    • a map showing the proposed pipeline route and that it may be examined at a specified place and time
    • the local government council, a person or body may, within 28 days after the date of service of the notice, lodge in writing with the Minister for Mining and Energy representations about the grant of the licence.
    • if there are no registered native title claimants or registered native title bodies corporation in relation to any of the affected land or waters, the representative Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander body, within 28 days after being served with the notice, may lodge comments in writing about the grant of the licence with the Minister for Mining and Energy.

Step 4. Pay the fee. Read the list of fees to find out how much you will have to pay.

Step 5. Submit the application. Read about how to pay and submit the application.

You can contact the Energy Development Division for assistance with your application.

Find information on paying the fee and submitting your application below.

Pay the fee

The Department of Mining and Energy will issue an invoice on receipt of  your application.

Find out how much you have to pay by reading the list of fees and rents.

You can use any of the methods below to pay your invoice:

• Visa or MasterCard - online or over the phone
• BPay
• direct debit to the Department of Mining and Energy account - details below:
  • account name: Department of Mining and Energy
  • financial institution: National Australia Bank
  • branch number (BSB): 085 933
  • account number: 728 143 450
  • use the invoice number as the transaction reference.
• Personal cheque, EFTPOS or cash payment in person at the Receiver of Territory Monies.

Submit your application

You can submit your application by mail, email or in person:

By mail

Energy Development
Department of Mining and Energy
GPO Box 4550
Darwin NT 0801

By email

energytitles.dme@nt.gov.au

In person

Energy Development
Department of Mining and Energy
Level 4 Paspalis Centrepoint building
48-50 Smith Street (Corner of Knuckey Street and Smith Street Mall)
Darwin NT 0800

Contact

For more information, contact Energy Development.

Energy Titles 
Phone: 08 8999 7112
Email:  energytitles.dme@nt.gov.au

Petroleum Operations
Phone: 08 8999 6030
Email: petroleum.operations@nt.gov.au

You can contact pipeline operations in the Energy Division by calling (08) 8999 5460 (operations) or (08) 8999 7112 (Titles) or emailing petroleum.operations@nt.gov.au.

This page has information on how to apply for consent to modify or decommission an energy pipeline.

Modify a pipeline

You may only modify a pipeline if all of the following conditions are met:

• there is a current, accepted pipeline management plan in place which provides for the modification
• the modification is consistent with the purpose for which the pipeline was designed
• the modification is in accordance with the pipeline management plan.

If you do not have a current, accepted pipeline management plan in place which provides for the intended modification contact the Energy Division for direction on how the modification should be handled.

Read more about pipeline management plans.

Decommission a pipeline

You may only decommission a pipeline if all of the following conditions are met:

• there is a current, accepted pipeline management plan in place which provides for the decommissioning
• the decommissioning is in accordance with the pipeline management plan.

If you do not have a current, accepted pipeline management plan in place which provides for the intended decommissioning contact the Energy Division for direction on how the decomissioning should be handled.