The $327,000 tender was awarded to CNC Project Management Pty Ltd.

There have been many calls to fast track the construction of a gas pipeline to help boost the NT's economy.

For many, the proposed pipeline is the missing piece of the puzzle needed for the establishment of an onshore gas industry in the NT.

Protect Country Alliance's Graeme Sawyer said: "The pressure upon government departments by Michael Gunner and the compromised NT Economic Reconstruction Commission to fast track fracked gas infrastructure could lead to unnecessary pressure being placed on landholders."

"This is yet another example of a decision being made that is clearly not in the public's interest.

The proposed pipeline would travel close to Tennant Creek, Elliott, Newcastle Waters, Daly Waters, Larrimah, Mataranka, Katherine, Pine Creek, Marakai and end at Middle Arm.

A NT Government spokeswoman previously said the pre-feasibility analysis would consider routing options, engineering, geotechnical, environmental, financial, land use and sacred site considerations involved in the creation of a new gas corridor.

The NT Government awarded the contract for a pre-feasibility study for a pipeline "corridor" from Tennant Creek to Darwin.

The 100-metre wide corridor of the pipeline is proposed to closely follow the Stuart Highway and through Katherine and Pine Creek to reach Darwin.

Another gas pipeline between Tennant Creek and Mount Isa, a distance of 622km, was opened by Jemena in 2018.

At the time, then Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan said the $800 million pipeline linked NT's Amadeus Gas Pipeline to Queensland's Carpentaria Gas Pipeline.

With this latest move the Northern Gas Pipeline could be use to send any gas extracted by fracking from the Beetaloo Basin west to Tennant Creek and through this new pipeline to Darwin for either processing or direct export.

More reading: Proposed pipeline would fulfil Territory's gas vision, Govt says.

Several companies. Origin Energy and Santos chief among them, are well advanced on their exploration of shale gas in the Beetaloo since the NT Government dropped a moratorium against the industry in April 2018.

Most experts believe there are huge reservoirs of gas which could be unlocked by fracking in the Beetaloo but the costs of extracting the gas from deep underground and sending it to the east coast could have made the industry unviable.

One of the jobs proposed for the consultants is to consider landowner arrangements where the pipeline is to be laid north to Darwin.

"This is aimed to provide clarity to the Gas Taskforce and Government for future decisions regarding acquisition of a corridor to transport gas from on shore reserves to existing and planned gas industry infrastructure," tender documents state.

The pipeline would transport gas and/or liquids.

The consultants would need to "conduct and record initial landowner discussions with regard to the position of the corridor within their property".

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