05 Sep 2018

The air quality of the Surat Basin in Queensland is well within air quality typical of similar rural areas, according to the first comprehensive ambient air quality study in a coal seam gas (CSG) region of Australia released today.

Conducted by CSIRO’s Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance (GISERA)*, the independent research assessed and modelled air quality in the Surat Basin gas region to investigate the influence of CSG activities on air quality.

The comprehensive air quality measurements taken at three gas fields and two regional ambient air monitoring sites revealed “good air quality within the Surat Basin area” following studies undertaken near Condamine, Miles and Chinchilla between 2014 and 2018.

The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) has welcomed the report, saying the scientific study confirmed that air quality in the south east Queensland gas fields is comparable to living in a rural and regional area elsewhere in Australia.

“This comprehensive scientific report clearly dispels the claims that the gas industry is releasing toxic materials into the air,” said APPEA Chief Executive Dr Malcolm Roberts.

“This study, which provides the largest contribution of air quality data in the region, clearly provides information for the local community about good ambient air quality.”

All of the data is being streamed to the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science: www.ehp.qld.gov.au/air/data.

Read full report: gisera.csiro.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/G3-final-AQ-assessment-report.pdf

* The CSIRO’s Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance (GISERA) is a collaboration between CSIRO, Commonwealth and state governments and industry established to undertake publicly-reported independent research. Download PDF

Media Contact

Matthew DomanMobile: 0421 888 858Email: >[email protected]