Oil and gas major Santos (ASX:STO) has loaded its first liquefied natural gas cargo from the Barossa joint venture project, destined for the Sakai terminal in Osaka.
The milestone marks the first shipment from Darwin since November 2023, following the depletion of the Bayu-Undan gas field.
Operated by Santos with a 50% stake, the Barossa Gas Project includes partners PRISM Energy International Australia (37.5%) and JERA Australia (12.5%).
Santos first announced production from Barossa in September 2025, after the project received drilling approval in December 2023, following a final investment decision in March 2021.
CEO Kevin Gallagher highlighted the project's economic impact, noting it underpins a projected 7.8% boost in Northern Territory gross state product for 2025-26 and secures 300 jobs over 20 years, equivalent to $2.5 billion in wages and contracts.
"This is an outstanding achievement for a project of this scale and complexity," Gallagher said, praising the Santos team's navigation of pandemic challenges, regulatory hurdles, and supply chain disruptions.