Coal seam gas and large coal mining developments impacts on water resources. Environmental assessment of coal seam gas lacks scientific. Coal seam gas water environment department of environment. Unconventional coal seam gas extraction is expanding rapidly in the renowned agricultural region of the darling downs in queensland, australia. Coal seam gas projects in australia must undergo environmental assessment before approval. The csiro also highlights research into addressing the environmental impacts of coal seam gas production, particularly the management of water. Modelled nominal contribution of the coal seam gas sector to queenslands gross state product 32 figure 3. The australian government plays an important role in protecting our environment from potential impacts of development activity, with a focus on matters of national environmental significance. Jesse kahler s2799588 environmental impact assessment bowra station coal seam gas wells 2603env ecology. Environmental impact statement eis report under the environmental protection act 1994 arrow energy surat gas project proposed by arrow energy pty ltd. The commonwealth regulatory regime works in concert with state and territory governments, which have primary responsibility for water resources and regulating environmental impacts associated. Various exemptions already apply to certain activities. The national partnership agreement on coal seam gas and large. Environmental context coal seam gas reserves are likely to make a major contribution to future energy needs.
Early in the development cycle of onshore gas such as coal seam gas csg, operating company environmental impact statements and regulatory agency assessments need to consider the potential for gas development impacts on other resources including groundwater. Glng project environmental impact statement coal seam gas. The iesc is a statutory committee, commissioned under the commonwealth environment protection biodiversity conservation act 1999, of leading scientists that independently advise ministers and government regulators on the impacts that coal seam gas and large coal mining development may have on australias water resources. Coal seam gas water department of environment and science. Environmental impact of coal mining and coal seam gas production. Eastern star gas limited gpo box 4526 suite 1, level 2, 37 pitt street sydney nsw 2000 tel. Coal seam gas fields impact assessment october 2008 august 2009 santos proposed the development and expansion of its existing coal seam gas csg. Apr 16, 20 coal seam gas projects in australia must undergo environmental assessment before approval. Pdf coal seam gas reserves represent a major contribution to energy needs, however, gas. For environmental and health impact assessment, the approach used in this study can. Proper environment impact assessment of coal mining is very important and here we take some issues which should be considered and some. Proponents argue that csg is a vital energy resource, necessary for continued gas supply. Narrabri coal seam gas utilisation project air quality. Environmental water tracers in environmental impact assessments for coal seam gas and large coal mining developments pdf 2.
Prediction of seals performance for coal seam gas production. Whole of life greenhouse gas emissions assessment of a. The coal seam gas csg industry is booming in australia. Environmental water tracers in environmental impact assessments for coal seam gas and large coal mining developments confidently identifying and evaluating causal pathways from water resources to a specified assets with a high degree of confidence is key to an effective environmental impact assessment. A portion of the methane produced is absorbed by the coal and later released from the coal seam and surrounding disturbed strata during the mining process. Glng project environmental impact statement section 6 coal seam gas fields environmental values and management of impacts prepared for santos ltd, 31 march 2009 6.
For some topics, additional guidance material has been written to supplement the iesc information guidelines for proponents preparing coal seam gas and large coal mining development proposals and associated explanatory notes, providing tailored guidance and uptodate robust scientific methodologies and tools for specific components of environmental impact assessments on. Environmental impact of coal mining and coal seam gas. This licence sets the discharge limits for a range of analytes to protect the. Proper environment impact assessment of coal mining is very important and here we take. Mining and coal seam gas activities can also affect the integrity of monitoring sites that are critical for the waternsws water resource assessment and operational management. Coal seam gas csg is a polarising issue in some communities. Hydraulic fracturing has been labelled with various impacts but focused regulatory control building upon detailed impact assessment can reduce risks of adverse outcomes to negligible levels. Pdf environmental issues associated with coal seam gas recovery. Flaws in the environmental assessment of coal seam gas exploration activities the coal seam gas csg industry in nsw is expanding rapidly. Oceans and atmosphere human health effects of coal seam gas activities a study design framework task 4 report for health project h.
The national partnership agreement on coal seam gas and. Coal seam gas field environmental values and management of. Subsidence from mining and coal seam gas activities can impact on, and destabilise, water supply infrastructure. Structure of community impacts of the resources sector 37 figure 3. Different laws, regulations and policies apply to different aspects of csg activities. The development of this industry has had a large effect on local communities.
Coal seam gas csg water is a byproduct of methane extraction. Groundwater impacts of coal seam gas development assessment and monitoring article pdf available january 2011 with 368 reads how we measure reads. However, the new technology for exploiting these reserves, termed hydraulic fracturing, raises several environmental issues. Environmental impact of coal mining and coal seam gas production on surface.
Environmental issues associated with coal seam gas recovery. Narrabri coal seam gas utilisation project noise impact assessment prepared for. Csg is natural gas methane which is sourced from underground coal. In addition to atmospheric pollution, coal burning produces hundreds of millions of tons of solid waste products annually, including fly ash, bottom ash, and fluegas desulfurization sludge, that contain. Submission on draft guidelines for the economic assessment. Most environmental assessments of csg projects are based on potential environmental impacts. This environmental impact report eir has been prepared as a requirement of the petroleum act 2000 to provide information on the proposed activities, the potential environmental impacts and their management. As part of the project planning and approvals process, a detailed assessment was required of the potential impacts. Since the start of the 21st century, the industry has increased dramatically and, given the significant reserves predicted to exist in the eastern states, this expansion is likely to continue as demands in the domestic and export market increase. Coal seam gas and social impact assessment uq espace. The tapping of coal seams to extract gas or coal seam gas csg has emerged as a major potential new energy resource over the past decade, led primarily by. Narrabri coal seam gas utilisation project noise impact. Csg is the dominant source of queenslands natural gas production.
Coal seam gas field environmental values and management. A large portion of coal seam gas is directly wasted and emitted to the environment, especially china, which is the worlds largest global warming gas emitter and energy consumer. In order to produce methane from coal beds, water must be pumped out to the surface to lower the hydro. Changes to planning rules to introduce land acquisition. Environmental assessment requirements for csg projects have been strengthened at both the state and. Environmental impact of the coal industry wikipedia.
Socioeconomic impacts of csg development in queensland 6 figure 1. Such emissions place heavy pressure on the chinese government to achieve its global carbon reduction goals. There is considerable uncertainty about the health effects of csg water ama 20. Abstract coal seam gas reserves represent a major contribution to energy needs. Pel 120 exploratory coal seam drilling environmental. The guidelines have been updated to ensure economic assessments are more robust and consistent across nsw. Heinz schandl, tim baynes, nawshad haque, damian barrett and arne geschke july 2019. Glng project environmental impact statement section 6 coal seam gas field environmental values and management of impacts prepared for santos ltd, 31 march 2009 6. We discuss the research required to assess the ecological risks from gas recovery.
Narrabri coal seam gas utilisation project air quality impact. Opponents claim that csg could have serious environmental and social impacts. Subbituminous coal, bituminous coal and anthracite. This report was commissioned by the department of the environment on the advice of the interim independent expert scientific committee on coal seam gas and coal mining. The information assessed in this report was predominantly obtained from the environmental impact statement eis documents of three csg. Bhp billiton 2014 preliminary environmental assessment, april 2014 nsw energy coal. Environmental impact assessment of exploration activities current coal seam gas laws and policies in nsw are complex. Abstract unconventional coal seam gas extraction is expanding rapidly in the renowned agricultural region of the darling downs in queensland, australia. These developments have given rise to substantial conflict, including. Coal seam gas reserves represent a major contribution to energy needs, however, gas recovery by hydraulic.
In order to produce methane from coal beds, water must be pumped out to the surface to lower the hydrostatic pressure allowing methane to diffuse from the coal microstructure and into the well bore. Request pdf environmental impact of coal mining and coal seam gas. Whole of life greenhouse gas emissions assessment of a coal seam gas to liquefied natural gas project in the surat basin, queensland, australia. Journal of economic and social policy 15 3, article 3. The national partnership agreement on coal seam gas and large mining development. Environmental impact statement fracking hydraulic fracturing. Coal, coal seam gas csg and water home page department. Spectrum acoustics suite 1, 1 roath st cardiff nsw 2285 po box 374 wallsend nsw 2287. Flaws in the environmental assessment of coal seam gas exploration activities. This study quantified the economic and environmental impacts of coal seam gasbased power. Environmental assessment of coal seam gas lacks scientific backup. The extraction of coal and coal seam gas csg will generate produced water that, if not adequately treated, will pollute surface and groundwater systems. Review of the socioeconomic impacts of coal seam gas in queensland. Coal seam gas, shale and tight gas extraction methods.
Edo nsw is an independent community legal centre specialising in public interest environmental and planning law. Mr dave campin, department of environment and heritage protection, queensland. Life cycle environmental and economic assessment of coal. Environmental impacts in the us both real and perceived have influenced the debate here and provided fertile grounds for gas oppositions groups. At the same time, the community is becoming increasingly concerned that the legal regime that regulates the exploration and extraction of coal seam gas does not ensure a thorough. The purpose of this fact sheet is to explain the commonalities and differences in function between the independent expert scientific committee on coal seam gas and large coal mining development iesc and the office of groundwater impact assessment ogia and to provide a shared understanding on matters where outputs from ogias assessment. Whole of life greenhouse gas emissions assessment of a coal. Technical notes supporting the guidelines for the economic.
Queensland introduction coal seam gas csg water is a byproduct of methane extraction. Environments draft economic assessment guidelines for mining and coal seam gas projects draft guidelines and for the november briefings and discussions. It has raised concerns about the environmental health impacts of the coproduced csg water. Life cycle environmental and economic assessment of coal seam. Guidelines for the economic assessment of mining and coal. When gas started bubbling up in the condamine river, for instance, denials from industry followed swiftly, but science was notably absent, despite it.
Environmental water tracers in environmental impact. Heggies pty ltd 2 lincoln st lane cove nsw 2066 po box 176 lane cove nsw 1595. Narrabri coal seam gas utilisation project air quality impact assessment prepared for. This environmental impact report eir has been prepared as a requirement of the petroleum act 2000 to provide information on the proposed activities, the potential environmental impacts. In australia, the discharge of produced water from coal mining and related activities is regulated by the state environment agency through a pollution licence. The coal seam gas water management policy 2012 focuses on the management and use of csg water under the environmental protection act 1994, and does not vary the requirements of the water act 2000 water act, such as making good any relevant impacts that may result from a csg operation on water supply bores. The nsw government is asking for feedback on draft guidelines for the economic assessment of mining and coal seam gas proposals. At the same time, the community is becoming increasingly concerned that the legal regime that regulates the exploration and extraction of coal seam gas. Age 2011 report on maules creek coal project groundwater impact assessment. An anthropological contribution to current debates and practices. Air pollution from coal seam gas may put public health at risk. The overarching objective of the npa is to strengthen the regulation of coal seam gas and large coal mining development by ensuring that future decisions are informed by substantially improved science and independent expert advice.
In the case of development activity related to large coal mines and the extraction of coal seam gas, this includes potential impacts on water resources. Pel 120 exploratory coal seam drilling environmental impact. The coal seam gas csg industry in nsw is expanding rapidly. Human health effects of coal seam gas activities a study. The extraction of coal seam gas csg produces large volumes of potentially contaminated water.
This study quantified the economic and environmental impacts of coal seam gasbased power generation in. These developments have given rise to substantial conflict, including the emergence of a national and. In july 20, a media statement by the liberal national party in queensland. The environmental impact of the coal industry includes issues such as land use, waste management, water and air pollution, caused by the coal mining, processing and the use of its products. May 09, 20 environmental impacts in the us both real and perceived have influenced the debate here and provided fertile grounds for gas oppositions groups.
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