Empire Energy has secured full approval for more fracking in the NT’s Beetaloo Basin.

Empire Energy - a subsidiary of Imperial Oil and Gas - already had $21 million in federal government grants to speed up the development in the basin, thanks to the Coalition's “gas-led recovery” plan.

Northern Territory Environment Minister Eva Lawler had sought technical advice on the hydraulic fracturing components of the plan, and now says it meets her standards. 

“[Empire Energy] followed the right processes, they've done all the right things,” Ms Lawler said.

“They've prepared their environment management plan (EMP), there's been some to-ing and fro-ing around that, they now have their EMP signed off.”

The minister said NT mining department technical experts looked at the company's well operations management plan.

She also found that the predicted greenhouse gas emissions arising from the exploration-phase project would be “manageable”. The figure is equivalent to 0.24 per cent of NT emissions each year to 2025.

Environmental groups and some representing traditional owners in the Beetaloo Basin have slammed the approval. 

Meanwhile, Origin Energy chair Scott Perkins has told the company’s annual general meeting that now commercial decisions have been made about Origin’s interests in the Beetaloo.

“Development of the Beetaloo Basin will need to be consistent with Origin's broader targets and emissions reductions targets,” Mr Perkins told the virtual meeting.

“What I would say, however, is gas continues to play a very cost-effective roles in supporting renewables and firming renewables and also to decarbonise emerging markets.”