COAL SEAM GAS: THE FACTS AND THE MYTHS

The Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management has produced a short video about coal seam gas myths.

Myth: CSG is a new industry.

The facts: The CSG industry has been around for decades, and it has been a significant source of gas production in Queensland for more than 10 years.

Myth: No one understands fraccing or knows the chemicals being used.

The facts: Industry and government have a detailed knowledge of the hydraulic fracturing process and of the chemicals being used. Water and sand comprise more than 99 per cent of the volume of fraccing fluid. Companies must identify the chemicals being used in any fraccing operation and detail any likely interactions with the water and rock formations in the area being fracced. APPEA has published a list of chemicals used in fraccing in Australian CSG operations.

There has been a lot of misinformation about the process and effects of fraccing. To see how the film Gasland misrepresents fraccing click this link.

Myth: CSG operations cause gas to migrate into waterbores and aquifers outside the coal seams.

The facts: CSG wells are constructed in a way that ensures there can be no migration of gas to neighbouring bores and aquifers. It is not in the gas companies’ interests to allow leakage of gas into aquifers. Such leaks would make it difficult to extract the gas and would reduce the amount of gas available for sale.

Myth: CSG is not safe as gas leaks are common.

The facts: A 2011 wellhead safety report in Queensland surveyed more than 2900 wells. No explosion risks were found and only six leaks large enough were found. None of these leaks posed any threat to human health but the companies were required to rectify them.

Myth: CSG production activity could cause the Great Artesian Basin to dry up, threatening farming activity.

The facts: The Great Artesian Basin holds about 65 million gigalitres (GL) of water and annual water recharge is estimated to be about 880GL. The actual average volume predicted to be extracted by CSG production is about 75GL. But there could be localised impacts on pressure in some waterbores. In cases where this happens, CSG producers are required to make good any loss of access to water, ensuring a continued reasonable supply of water to landholders. For a short video on this issue, click here.