There is currently a low infrastructure base in the Beetaloo.
The region is accessed by the Stuart, Barkly, Roper and Carpentaria Highways. Some smaller public roads and private access roads also service the area.
The road network includes unsealed sections that are unsuited to supporting gas development, especially during the wet season. Much of the road network is subject to seasonal closure because of flooding.
The Adelaide-Darwin railway passes through the Beetaloo providing freight links north and south. There are regional airports at Katherine and Tennant Creek.
Three key gas pipelines service the region.
The Amadeus Gas Pipeline links Alice Springs to Darwin.
The McArthur River Gas Pipeline links the McArthur River Mine to the Amadeus Gas Pipeline.
The Northern Gas Pipeline passes to the south of the Beetaloo. It links the Amadeus Gas Pipeline to the Carpentaria Gas Pipeline at Mt Isa. This provides a link to the East Coast market, albeit with a limited capacity.
Any future development is likely to rely on new or enlarged gas processing and pipeline infrastructure. Any new pipeline routes will depend on the Beetaloo’s realised gas potential.