How did liquefied natural gas exports affect the Northern Territory economy?

The production and export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) have become significant pillars of the Northern Territory's economy. Since Darwin began exporting LNG in 2006, the territory has seen an increase in the production of natural gas and other hydrocarbons from reserves in the Timor Sea and the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf.12

While the mining and extraction sector—which includes petroleum and natural gas—accounts for nearly one-fifth of the territory's economic value, it is primarily capital-intensive and employs a relatively small portion of the workforce. Despite this, the growth in resource production has helped buttress the economy, contributing to the Northern Territory becoming the fastest-growing Australian state or territory in the early 21st century, even as it remains the smallest contributor to the nation's gross domestic product.21