AUSTRALIA’S coal seam gas industry could extract an average of 300 gigalitres from groundwater systems every year for the next 25 years, experts predict.
That amount of water would be more than half as much as is presently extracted from the Great Artesian Basin each year.
The “conservative” projection is contained in a submission from the National Water Commission that was among hundreds put to a NSW parliamentary inquiry into coal seam gas.
SEAM stimulation sounds like something from a pornographic film. But it’s the new term for ‘fracking’ being used by the coal seam gas industry.
Under the present process, when exploration licences are granted, there is no requirement for specific environmental issues to be addressed in detail, with no public exhibition or consultation requirements, he said. ”Title renewals are equally problematic, with no clear, objective tests which the minister must apply and no public consultation requirements. There should be a rigorous process introduced to apply before titles are granted with full public transparency.”
An estimated 5.5 million hectares of petroleum exploration titles have expired with no information available on the status of these licences or how they are assessed for renewal.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/oil-gas-licences-ignite-demands-for-overhaul-20110918-1kg5i.html#ixzz1YuzycQlr
Alan Jones speaks to Dr Reg Pascoe, Heather Brown, Nicki Laws and Rob McCreath about mining and the desecration of farm land.
Alan Jones speaks to Sean Berry from Channel 7 news about the coal seam gas mining story which airs tonight, on Channel 7 News.
Three of Australia’s top water scientists have told Lateline more research on the safety and environmental impact of coal seam gas mining is urgently needed.
The Queensland government is investigating a gas field west of Brisbane after the discovery of traces of cancer-causing chemicals at five bores. Benzene, toluene and xylene were discovered during routine tests of 14 bores used to monitor the company’s coal seam gas (CSG) dams at the Tipton West and Daandine gas fields near Dalby, Arrow […]
A new poll has revealed that the vast majority of NSW supports a moratorium on coal seam gas.
Mining magnate Clive Palmer has launched a scathing attack on Australia’s coal seam gas industry, saying the technology is unproven and could have a devastating environmental impact.
Protesters have been arrested after they gatecrashed a mining conference in Sydney, calling for a halt on coal seam gas exploration.
Talk of no toxicity case