Darwin is the first regional location to come under the eye of the consumer watchdog as it investigates discrepancies in petrol prices around the country.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says it will investigate petrol prices in Darwin because of persistently high fuel costs in the Northern Territory's capital city.
Annual average retail petrol prices in Darwin in 2013-14 were about 170 cents-per-litre (cpl), almost 20 cents higher than in the five largest capital cities.
The ACCC announced the inquiry on Tuesday, saying it would seek to "explain each component of the prices paid at the bowser" in the city.
NT Chief Minister Adam Giles welcomed the Australia-first probe, which he said he requested of the ACCC in December.
"I hope this probe will give us a better understanding of factors influencing our petrol prices, and what can be done to drive them down even further," he said in a statement.
"But I want to challenge the ACCC to ensure that the investigation delivers real action for motorists and not just more talk."
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