A huge gas storage facility outside Darwin has been leaking methane gas with the same climate impact as 8,300 new cars driving year-round.
What's happening?
According to ABC News, a storage tank — once the world's largest — at Darwin's liquefied natural gas plant broke in 2006 when extremely cold fuel caused its protective walls to crack.
The plant's first owner, ConocoPhillips, learned how much gas was escaping in 2019 through drone monitoring. Some 184 kilograms of methane leaked every hour.
The company took eight months to tell government authorities what they found. Santos bought the plant in 2020 and will begin using it again this year without repairing the broken tank.
"What we have here is a cover-up at every conceivable scale, by ConocoPhillips, by Santos and by a range of regulators," said Kirsty Howey from the Environment Centre Northern Territory, per ABC News.
The tank sits seven kilometers (about 4.3 miles) from Darwin and 11 kilometers (about 6.8 miles) from Palmerston, home to hundreds of thousands of people.
Why is this methane leak concerning?
Methane holds up to 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and the United Nations reported that methane has been responsible for 30% of planetary warming since the pre-industrial era.
This single tank has released the equivalent of more than 320,000 tons of carbon dioxide across 14 years. The continuous leak undermines Australia's climate goals while companies report estimated rather than measured pollution levels.
The broken tank will continue to operate through 2050 unless it's fixed.
Howey added, "To know that there has been methane leaking from the facility in huge quantities, and the risk that that could pose in the event of an explosion, let alone the climate impacts, is pretty shocking."
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Yes — everywhere 👏 What can I do to help address methane pollution?
To hold these irresponsible companies to account, call your representatives and urge them to pass legislation that would require gas firms to monitor their facilities.
You could also support groups that work to uncover corporate pollution by donating or volunteering your time.
Otherwise, if you have the choice, opt for renewable energy from your electricity company, and when your gas appliances need to be replaced, switch to electric options.
Heat pumps, induction stoves, and electric water heaters all cut your household's methane impact and often reduce your bills, making them beneficial on multiple fronts.
Telling people in your community about corporate methane leaks can also increase awareness. When more residents are aware of what's happening, companies will face increased pressure to address problems. Speaking up holds energy companies accountable, especially those operating near where people live.
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