Inpex, Japan's Inpex, is sued by the Australian regulator for violating Ichthys LNG emission regulations

Environmental regulators in Australia's Northern Territory have charged Japanese energy company Inpex with under-reporting of emissions from its Ichthys LNG plant near Darwin.

The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority stated that the charges relate to alleged licence violations, including the underreporting benzene or toluene emission between 2019 and 2024.

The company did not provide any further information, stating that the case was in court. Inpex didn't immediately respond to an?ask for comment.

Inpex, the company that owns the plant, disclosed in October that it had underreported emissions at the facility. This prompted regulatory reviews of operations at both Ichthys LNG's and Santos Darwin LNG's facilities.

In order to maintain the environmental license, Inpex must submit annual reports on air pollution totals.

The regulator, in July, approved 23 recommendations for stricter rules at both LNG plants, including the installation of continuous emissions monitoring equipment at major sources.

This month, the regulator will "draft" amendments to existing licenses reflecting these changes.

Environment Centre NT, a climate group in the NT Territory, called?the decision not to charge Inpex a?massive 'win for Darwin residents.

Bree Ahrens is one of the activists. "Finally we are seeing INPEX held accountable for massively underreporting how much toxic pollution it pumps into Darwin's air," she said. Reporting by Renju José in Sydney, Editing by Jacqueline Wong & Clarence Fernandez

(source: Reuters)