BSA is committed to working with government and industry to achieve a coal seam gas industry that has minimal environmental, economic and social impacts and preserves groundwater resources for future generations.
Research & Links
Research, Technical Reports & Background
Coal Seam Gas by the Numbers
The ABC has launched a comprehensive website called COAL SEAM GAS BY THE NUMBERS designed to provide an insight into the promise and the dangers inherent in the coal seam gas rush. View their site here >>
Senate Inquiry into the impact of mining coal seam gas on the management of the Murray Darling Basin
The Senate Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee inquiry into the Management of the Murray Darling Basin chaired by Senator the Hon. Bill Heffernan handed down its Interim report on the impact of mining coal seam gas on the management of the Murray Darling Basin in November 2011. Read report >>
Anne Bridle's Submission to the Murray Darling Basin >>
Surat Basin CSG Engagement Group Meeting Minutes
Read Meeting No 1 Minutes here >> Read Meeting No 2 Minutes here >>
Read Meeting No 3 Minutes here >> Read Meeting No 4 Minutes here >>
Fuel Cycle Greenhouse Emissions for Electricity Generation from LNG & Coal
This report is by DERM. Read full report >>
Responses to the BSA Blueprint - July 2011
Read the full response from Arrow Energy here>>
Read the full response from APPEA here >>
Mechanical loading and unloading of confined aquifers: implications for the assessment of long-term trends in potentiometric levels - June 2011
This is a joint report by NWC and CSIRO. Read full report >>
Scientific American Observations Article - France becomes first country to ban extraction of natural gas by fracking - June 2011
The French parliament voted on June 30 to ban the controversial technique for extracting natural gas from shale rock deposits known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the web sites of Le Monde and other French media reported. Read full article >>
Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Rural Affairs and Transport Inquiry - June 2011
Management of the Murray Darling Basin - Impacts of Coal Seam Gas. The rapid escalation of the coal seam gas (CSG) industry is having a massive impact on regional Queensland. The Basin Sustainability Alliance was formed in early 2010 as a result of the increasing community concerns about the rapid expansion of the coal seam gas industry. Community fels the impacts on their businesses, the ground water systems and the surface environment were being ignored or very poorly managed by government and the CGS companies. Read full submission >>
CWiMI – Assessment of impacts of the proposed coal seam gas operation on surface and groundwater systems in the Murray Darling Basin – Nov 2010
Centre for Water in the Mineral Industry, Sustainable Minerals Institute The University of Qld report authored by Prof Chris Moran, Dr Sue Vink. Report was commissioned by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water Population and Communities to look at the proposed CSG operation on the connectivity of Groundwater systems, surface water and groundwater flows and water quality in the Murray-Darling Basin. Read full report>>
Qld Coordinator General's report on the Australia Pacific LNG Project - Nov 2010
Report includes assessment and conclusions about the environmental effects of the APLNG - 30 year coal seam gas (CSG) to liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Queensland project (a 50:50 joint-venture between Origin Energy and Conoco-Phillips) that proposes the development of the Walloons gas fields in the Surat Basin in south central Queensland with up to 10,000 CSG wells over the 30 year timeframe, construction and operation of a 450 km gas transmission pipeline to connect the Walloons gas fields and the construction and operation of an LNG facility on Curtis Island near Gladstone for production and export of up to 18 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of NG. Read full report>>
Water Group Response to EPBC Act CSG Referrals – (QGC and Santos) – Sept 2010
This draft report was provided to Environment and Water Minister Tony Burke from the Water Group within his own department. It highlights significant concerns about Coal Seam Gas (CSG) developments in the Surat and Bowen Basins in SE Qld. Report cites concerns such as the general level of uncertainty associated with these proposals, and the inability of proponents to accurately quantify their individual and collective impacts over the life of their projects (which is in the order of 30 years); the lack of surety that this represents for the Minister for Environment in making decisions; the potential for significant impacts on native species dependent on natural discharge of groundwater from the Great Artesian Basin; the volume of groundwater to be co-produced with CSG, impacts on groundwater systems and their structural integrity, the volume of salts and heavy metals associated with CSG co-produced water, and the uncertainty around mechanisms for their disposal, and impacts on surface water hydrology from the discharge of CSG co-produced water into the Condamine and/or Dawson Rivers; land subsidence; and impacts on highly productive agricultural land. >>read full response
Advice in relation to the potential impacts of coal seam gas extraction in the Surat and Bowen Basins, Queensland - Sept 2010
Phase one final report for Australian Goverment Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts provided by Geoscience Australia and Dr M.A. Habermehl. Read full report>>
Hillier Report - Groundwater connections between the Walloon Coal Measures and the Alluvium of the Condamine River - Aug 2010
Commissioned by Central Downs Irrigators
CWiMI - Groundwater Impacts of Coal Seam Gas Development - Dec 2008
Scoping Study: Groundwater Impacts of Coal Seam Gas Development – Assessment and Monitoring by the Centre for Water in the Minerals Industry Sustainable Minerals Institute University of Queensland – commissioned by Mr. Mal Helmuth Executive Director LNG Projects Infrastructure and Economic Development Group Department of Infrastructure and Planning to develop a better understanding of the potential risks posed to regional and local aquifer systems by the development of a coal seam gas-based Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry in Queensland. >>full report
Why Coal Seam Gas Extraction and Intensive Cropping Are Not Compatible
An Article by Dalby agronomists about the incompatibility of Coal Seam Gas and intensive farming. >>read paper
Coal seam gas prospects: economic bonanza or future industrial wasteland? May 2010
Coal Seam Gas (CSG) (together with open cut coal mining) is “the single biggest environmental issue in Queensland’s history”. Mining threatens to turn the Darling Downs, one of Australia’s prime food bowls, into an “industrial wasteland” – an article published on Larvatus Prodeo Blog >>read article
Policies/Statements from key bodies
QMDC’s Revised Final Draft Mining and Energy Policy
The Queensland Murray-Darling Committee Inc. is inviting comment on its revised draft policy (November 2011). The policy has been revised to reflect QMDC’s and its members’ increased knowledge on the operations and activities of the mining and energy industry. For more information go to http://www.qmdc.org.au/ or read the policy here >>
Australian Conservation Foundation - Better than Growth Policy
"ACF believes our society should prioritise the well being of its people and environment. To achieve this goal society must be driven by long term well being rather than short term economic imperatives." >>Read full policy statement.
Australian Conservation Foundation - Renewable Energy Statement
ACF's vision is for all of Australia's energy to come from renewable energy. >>Read full policy statement
Government Information
Blueprint for Queensland's LNG Industry - Queensland Government >>
Management of water produced from coal seam gas production - Queensland Government >>
Action Groups, Peak Bodies & Landholder Groups
Fairymeadow Land Protection Group
Contact: David Uebergang 0458 658 179
Concerned Landholders Roma North (CLRN)
Contact: Chair: Peter Thompson 0427 763 902
Sec: Jack Walker 0407 962 724
Environment & Property Protection Assoc (EPPA)
Contact: Ian Hayllor 0428 79 5548
Save Our Darling Downs (SODD)
http://www.sodd.com.au
Contact: Graham Clapham 0429 700 496
Dave Armstrong 0427 700 291
Jimbour Action Group
Contact: John Alexander 0428 182 759
jimbour.action.group@bigpond.com
Coal for Breakfast
http://www.coal4breakfast.com.au
Contact: Nevin Olm
nevin.olm@bigpond.com
Future Food
Future Food Qld aims to protect the world renowned, clean and green, premium food production capacity (iconic farmland) of Queensland from inappropriate mining developments.
http://www.futurefoodqld.com.au/
Great Artesian Basin Protection Group
http://www.gabpg.org.au/
Western Downs Alliance
http://www.westerndownsalliance.com
Contact: Michael Bretherick (07) 4669 4864
AgForce Queensland Mining Issues
Various policies and contacts from the Agforce Queensland Site
http://www.agforceqld.org.au/index.php?tgtPage=policies&page_id=33
Caroona Coal Action Group Inc
Caroona Coal Action Group (CCAG) represents a country community concerned that subsidence longwall mining will damage the underground aquifers, the life blood of the food and fibre production, on the world class Liverpool Plains, NSW
http://www.ccag.org.au/
QLD Murray Darling Committee Presentation
Report by Geoff Penton, CEO QMDC on the impacts of mining in the Qld Murray Darling Basin.
http://www.qmdc.org.au/publications/download/556/website-pdfs/mining_impacts-qmdb-090202-v2.pdf
Friends of Felton
Friends of Felton Inc is a community group established in opposition to Ambre Energy's proposal to produce fuel from coal at Felton - known originally as the 'Felton Hybrid Energy Project', then the 'Felton Clean Coal Project', and as of March 2010, 'ambreCTL'. We are committed to stopping coal mining development at Felton, and setting a precedent to protect other threatened areas on the Darling Downs and across Australia.
http://www.fof.org.au/