On 11 February 2026, APA SPP Pty Ltd applied to the AER for a gas pipeline classification decision for the Sturt Plateau Pipeline (SPP).
The SPP is located in the Roper Gulf Region in the Northern Territory and will connect Tamboran Resources' gas development in the southern Beetaloo Basin to APA's Amadeus Gas Pipeline.
APA SPP Pty Ltd is seeking for the SPP to be classified as a transmission pipeline.
The SPP is expected to be commissioned in 2026.
Background
All scheme and non-scheme pipelines must be either classified as a transmission or distribution pipeline.
Following reforms to the gas pipeline regulatory framework in 2023, the AER is responsible for determining the classification of pipelines which are not yet classified and for making decisions about the reclassification of pipelines.
Under section 117 of the National Gas Law, pipeline service providers are required to make a classification application to the AER within 20 business days after the commissioning of a pipeline, which is not yet classified as a distribution or transmission pipeline.
More information on the AER’s classification and reclassification powers can be found in Chapter 6 of the AER’s Regulatory Determinations and Elections Guide.