LNG ANNOUNCEMENT COULD TRIGGER RAPID CSG DEVELOPMENT

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation has warned that environmental approvals announced today for liquefied natural gas facilities at Gladstone will trigger sweeping gas projects in the Surat Basin, at a time when the rapid expansion of the gas industry was outpacing the science and planning.
“Farmers don’t want to stand in the way of development that will support a diverse regional economy,” QFF CEO Dan Galligan said. “But they remain very concerned about the fractional planning progress surrounding coal seam gas, and the myriad of scientific risks that remain under debate.
“Today’s approval for LNG facilities at Gladstone will see coal seam gas development continue to race ahead in the Surat Basin, while the policy around dealing with the cumulative impacts of these vast projects is plodding along in the background, completely out-paced and out of step with development.”
“We are working with the State Government to develop a fair policy for protecting strategic cropping land in Queensland – and we’re working to get it done fast. But once again the approvals process and the rapid push for wealth creation is racing ahead of any cautious approach.”
He said that QFF was particularly concerned given that the two major gas companies – Santos and BG Group – had conceded in the media* that there will be groundwater impacts. Further, QFF’s concerns have been heightened this week with reports of traces of BTEX found in monitoring wells near Miles.
“For our members on the Darling Downs, the Condamine Alluvium and the Great Artesian Basin are precious resources, and they are just as valuable as the strategic cropping land we are trying to protect. The country needs these water resources for the long-term to produce food, fibre and wealth long after the mineral and gas are extracted.”
“We understand the need for progress, we understand the need for new energy sources, but we demand this to be done in such as way as to preserve our future capacity in agricultural production. Approval of these projects should be made conditional on this being secured”.

* The Australian, Water levels may drop, say gas companies, October 9, 2010