Coal Seam Gas
Coal Seam Gas (CSG) activity has experienced extraordinary growth in recent years, bringing wealth and jobs to areas like the Surat Basin. The impact of this activity is largely unmeasured in Queensland and until recently, has been carried out mostly unchecked. The pace of this growth is making it hard for legislation to keep up and as a result, there is an imbalance between agriculture and mining.
New guidelines for the Coal Seam Gas production
On 6 May 2010, the government announced the strengthening of monitoring and reporting requirements applied to CSG productions. The government has released three new guidelines that CSG operators must comply with when planning and implementing coal seam gas projects. These guidelines refer to the information required in an environmental management plan; the beneficial uses of CSG water and the minimum standards of such; and the model conditions for coal seam gas activities. A copy of these guidelines can be accessed below:
New arrangements to protect groundwater in Coal Seam Gas areas
On 13 May 2010, the Queensland Government introduced laws to protect landholder’s groundwater supplies and the local environment if there are any impacts from CSG activities. The new laws will apply to current and future projects and require evaluation and strict management of impacts of water extraction from the CSG process on bores, aquifers and springs.
New ‘trigger thresholds’ will be used to investigate individual CSG operators’ impacts on bore water supplies.
Trigger thresholds are:
Where the water level impacts of CSG producers overlap, the government will establish a cumulative management area.Within a cumulative management area, the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) will be responsible for managing activities like groundwater impact monitoring, modelling and preparing cumulative impact reports.
Want to know more?
Members only:
Log in to read the AgForce submission into the Management of Water Produced from Coal Seam Gas Production discussion paper.
New guidelines for the Coal Seam Gas production
On 6 May 2010, the government announced the strengthening of monitoring and reporting requirements applied to CSG productions. The government has released three new guidelines that CSG operators must comply with when planning and implementing coal seam gas projects. These guidelines refer to the information required in an environmental management plan; the beneficial uses of CSG water and the minimum standards of such; and the model conditions for coal seam gas activities. A copy of these guidelines can be accessed below:
- Preparing an environmental management plan for coal seam gas activities: describes the information required in an environmental management plan for CSG activities under the Environmental Protection Act 1994.
- Approval of coal seam gas water for beneficial use: a guideline promoting the beneficial use of CSG water and provides the minimum standards required for specified uses.
- Model conditions for coal seam gas activities: a guideline providing the suitable conditions for specific CSG activities. It can be used as a consistent starting point for the negotiation of environmental authorities for CSG–LNG activities.
New arrangements to protect groundwater in Coal Seam Gas areas
On 13 May 2010, the Queensland Government introduced laws to protect landholder’s groundwater supplies and the local environment if there are any impacts from CSG activities. The new laws will apply to current and future projects and require evaluation and strict management of impacts of water extraction from the CSG process on bores, aquifers and springs.
New ‘trigger thresholds’ will be used to investigate individual CSG operators’ impacts on bore water supplies.
Trigger thresholds are:
- 5-metre drop for consolidated aquifers, such as sandstone
- 2-metre drop for shallow alluvial aquifers
- 0.2-metre drop for springs, including watercourses connected to springs
Where the water level impacts of CSG producers overlap, the government will establish a cumulative management area.Within a cumulative management area, the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) will be responsible for managing activities like groundwater impact monitoring, modelling and preparing cumulative impact reports.
Want to know more?
- Department of Environment and Resource Management's policy on CSG water management. Click here.
- Information about aquifer impacts and 'make good' arrangements. Click here.
- A fact sheet outlining the new arrangements to protect groundwater resources provides an outline of the statutory framework being developed to ensure CSG producers manage the impacts of water extraction. This fact sheet can be accessed by clicking here.
- A fact sheet detailing the protection measures for groundwater and the environment and the process of implementing ‘make good’ arrangements can be accessed by clicking here.
- A fact sheet detailing the environmental assessment and management of coal seam gas development requirements can be accessed by clicking here.
Members only:
Log in to read the AgForce submission into the Management of Water Produced from Coal Seam Gas Production discussion paper.