The Joint Venture partners in the project are preparing to build a 1,000km pipeline to deliver gas from the Black Tip field in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf across the Top End to the Gove peninsula.

The NLC and Woodside have entered talks to buy joint equity in the project, which would represent the biggest investment by Aboriginal people in Australia's energy industry.

When the Black Tip project was announced in June the NLC's chief executive officer, Norman Fry, said that Aboriginal traditional owners in the Northern Territory's Top End stood to reap significant benefits in terms of training employment and royalties.

"This project has huge potential for all Territorians and particularly for Aboriginal people living in remote areas all the way from the Darwin/Daly region through to East Arnhem Land," Fry said.

"Getting the gas from Black Tip to Gove will require the construction of 1,000 kilometres of pipeline across Aboriginal land and land covered by native title claim. This will offer many economic development opportunities for Aboriginal people living along the pipeline route and we will work on their behalf to ensure their interests and aspirations are met."

"The NLC and traditional owners have been working on this project for 18 months and a lot has already been achieved in terms of surveying potential pipeline routes and consulting with Aboriginal communities."