"The long-term leakage of liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually arises from a combination of engineering and management factors. At the technical level, defects in storage tank or pipeline design, such as welding flaws or sealing failures, can create pathways for gas to escape. The extreme cryogenic conditions of LNG (–162°C) make potential materials brittle, and repeated cooling and heating cycles often lead to fatigue cracks over time. Corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement may further weaken critical components. From an operational perspective, the failure of safety valves, or extended operation of aging infrastructure without proper maintenance would increase the risks. External influences such as earthquakes, flooding, or accidental mechanical impact can also trigger leakage incidents.

The broader concern lies in methane’s climate impact: it is up to 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term. Even relatively minor leaks, if persistent, can offset the climate benefits of using LNG as a transitional fuel. This highlights the urgent need for continuous leak detection, timely repair, and rigorous independent oversight of LNG facilities. To achieve net-zero emissions and ensure public safety and climate goals, it is significant to maintain through proactive monitoring and transparent communication."

"It seems that the leak was caused by a design flaw in the plant’s LNG storage tank, allowing methane to escape continuously over many years. It is estimated that this failure has released hundreds of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Unlike carbon dioxide, which remains the focus of most climate policies, methane is far more damaging in the short term. It can trap much more heat, driving rapid warming and extreme weather events. This makes methane one of the most dangerous fugitive emissions in Australia’s energy sector. Fugitive emissions are gases that leak unintentionally during the production, processing, storage, and transport of fossil fuels. They are often invisible and difficult to detect, but collectively they account for a significant share of Australia’s greenhouse footprint. Left unchecked, leaks such as the one at Darwin LNG can quietly undermine national and global efforts to reduce emissions, while exposing communities to ongoing safety and environmental risks.

Beyond its climate impact, methane leaks pose serious safety risks to workers and nearby communities. Methane is highly flammable, and in poorly ventilated areas, even small concentrations can ignite. When mixed with oxygen, it can create explosive atmospheres capable of causing catastrophic fires and extensive infrastructure damage. While the Darwin leak has occurred in open space, which reduces the immediate risk of disaster, the danger of ignition remains whenever large volumes of gas escape undetected, particularly near industrial facilities, pipelines, or populated areas.

The fact that residents were not informed for decades has been labelled a serious failure of transparency and regulation. With the plant’s environmental licence up for renewal, there is now a critical opportunity for stronger accountability, firm requirements to manage fugitive emissions, and guarantees that such a cover-up will never be repeated. Proper action is needed to protect both the climate and the safety of the Darwin community."

"Methane is one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases. We often call it the ‘low-hanging fruit’ of climate action because it is over 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 20-year period. A single undetected leak can wipe out the climate gains made elsewhere. We urgently need to invest in better monitoring systems. Satellites are improving quickly and can now spot large plumes from space, but they still miss many smaller, long-lasting leaks. That is why on-site monitoring is essential.

New technologies, such as the low-cost, solar-powered sensors, are now making continuous, real-time methane measurements possible. For example, my lab has created the Pondi to offer cost-effective and scalable real-time greenhouse gas monitoring at low cost. These systems give us the tools we need to detect leaks early and prevent avoidable climate damage."

"Today’s report by the ABC on the Darwin LNG methane leak is extremely concerning. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, up to 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.  While fugitive emissions (unintended leaks as part of processing and storage) are common, leaks of this scale and timespan represent a hidden driver of changing atmospheric chemistry and climate change.

In our lab, we look at the biological processes that remove methane from the atmosphere. This process is driven by bacteria called methanotrophs, the only known biological methane sink. They live in the soil and on tree surfaces and remove approximately 30–40 Mt CH₄/yr and 25–50 Mt CH₄/yr respectively. Our most recent discovery shows that bacterial biofilms in caves are potentially an even bigger sink, removing up to ~100 Mt CH₄/yr. However, this natural ecosystem service is finite, and we are only beginning to understand and model its role in mitigating or offsetting methane emissions from industry and agriculture. Industrial leaks of this scale risk overwhelming these natural sinks, erasing their climate benefit.

We strongly believe that independent monitoring and public disclosure are essential. Today we have the technology, from satellites to sensitive ground-based detectors, to identify leaks early and act quickly. Methane is one of the most actionable levers to slow climate warming. Fixing leaks like this should be a top priority."