About SREBA

The purpose of the Strategic Regional Environmental and Baseline Assessment (SREBA) for the Beetaloo Sub-basin is to improve understanding of the environment in the region.

This is central to providing a robust evidence base about the development of the onshore unconventional gas industry.

It will help to inform management and regulatory decisions.

Watch the video to learn more about SREBA.

The Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory

In December 2016, the Northern Territory Government established the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory (NT).

The final report of the inquiry included 3 specific recommendations on the delivery of a SREBA (recommendations 15.1, 15.2 and 15.3), with another 30 recommendations that make a general reference to baseline studies.

The 3 primary recommendations for SREBA are:

• Recommendation 15.1 - That a strategic regional environmental and baseline assessment (SREBA) be undertaken prior to the granting of any further production approvals
• Recommendation 15.2 - That the regulator oversees the auditing and the data-collection processes and provides a central repository for all data informing any SREBA.
• Recommendation 15.3 - That a SREBA should be completed within 5 years from the first grant of exploration approvals and must be completed prior to the grant of any production approvals.

All recommendations accepted

In April 2018, the NT Government announced it had accepted all recommendations of the inquiry’s Final Report and commenced their implementation for the Beetaloo Sub-basin.

Read the Final Report, go to the Fracking Inquiry website.

Program structure

The information collected within a SREBA covers the following study domains:

• biophysical
• sociocultural
• economic.

These studies identify and address knowledge gaps and establish appropriate baselines as a reference point in time for ongoing monitoring.

For more information read:

• SREBA Framework PDF (10.4 MB).
• consultation summary PDF (792.2 KB)
• SREBA fact sheet PDF (1.8 MB)

Baseline and long-term variation

It is important to create a baseline to monitor change from the current state.

This allows us to design powerful ongoing monitoring programs that can further document and account for long-term variation.

The SREBA teams collected new data, while also finding information about long-term variation.

They did this by collating and reviewing recent and historical records. These are included in the SREBA reports.

Many SREBA teams and organisations have worked extensively in the region for many years and have a good understanding of:

• historical context
• seasonal variation.

Important information about the extent of longer-term variation is sourced from various tools. For example analysis of several decades of satellite imagery.

Reporting

SREBA final reports are based on objective and scientific analysis of data.

The release of SREBA data and findings is a clear commitment from the inquiry.

It ensures transparency.

Information won’t be released if it:

• breaches privacy and confidentiality requirements
• compromises regulatory or commercial activities.

Other uses of SREBA information

Information and data collected through the Beetaloo Sub-basin SREBA may be applied through a variety of other mechanisms such as:

• strategic regional planning, such as land use and infrastructure
• water planning and licencing
• compliance monitoring for industry
• land release and no go zones.

Existing environmental change

The SREBA studies establish a baseline of the Beetaloo region in its current state.

The primary purpose of this is to detect future changes that may occur because of the development of onshore gas industry.

Assessing environmental change that may have occurred because of existing land uses is not the role of SREBA.

Sites of cultural significance

We worked with the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) to ensure survey activities pose no risk to Aboriginal sacred sites.

SREBA teams don't have the authority to identify or document sacred sites.

Some SREBA activities, such as drilling new bores, require an authority certificate.

During this process, AAPA consults with Traditional Owners about any sacred sites or culturally restricted areas.

For more information about the protection of sacred sites, go to AAPA NT website.

POINT (Petroleum Onshore Information, NT) is a free mapping tool to help you find documents and information about onshore petroleum activities in the NT, go to the POINT website.