Coal seam gas extraction is causing damage to prime agricultural land and water resources such as aquifers through mining, fracking, subsidence and compaction, according to a new report.
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A paper just published by the Royal Society of Queensland revealed how CSG mining-induced earthquake events can cause long-lasting and potentially irreparable damage to built structures, and to aquifers by creating leaks and polluting them with contaminants.
The report's authors who comprise a trio of distinguished scientists, said the reluctance of the state government to heed warning signals, even such as ones from other state governments "let alone from independent scientists and civil society groups in Queensland, will magnify the current farming and wider community's exasperation".
Honorary Associate Professor School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, Dr Peter Dart who co-authored the report Coal Seam Gas Mining: potential to induce seismic and aseismic events and aquifer discontinuity, said the team reviewed more than 180 scientific papers to report on the worldwide occurrence of seismic hazard factors.
"The most shocking finding from this research is the long-term nature of the damage done by CSG mining to aquifers and land surface through fracking and subsidence and compaction," Dr Dart said.
"It will take a very long time, if ever, for some aquifers to recharge and recover, and for subsidence to be ameliorated."
For the work Dr Dart was joined by Griffith University adjunct professor Dr Geoff Edwards, who is a former Queensland Department of Mines and Energy (now the Department of Resources) principal policy officer and, retired UQ Seismograph Stations senior observer Colin Lynam.
"The report was meticulously researched, we reviewed more than 180 scientific papers to report on the worldwide occurrence of seismic hazard factors," Dr Dart said.
"The most shocking finding from this research is the long-term nature of the damage done by CSG mining to aquifers and land surface through fracking and subsidence and compaction."
Dr Dart said agricultural communities wanted the state government and gas companies to take their data seriously.
"We have known for some time the extract of gas will impact on aquifers in a negative way," he said.
"We are concerned this had not been taken into account by government through regulation and understanding of what damage has been and could be done."
Dr Dart said he felt the state government's diffident approach to growers and graziers could be due to the income it received from gas companies.
However, Dr Dart said at the end of the day it was curious the state government did not charge the gas companies enough royalties for the extraction of the resource.
Dr Dart said as the high pressures required for fracking created tension in sedimentary layers surrounding the well could be transmitted over several kilometres.
"They can lead to concurrent micro-seismic events long after the initial activity," he said.
"Aquifer leakage has a major flow-on effect for the agro-ecosystem productivity and town water supply."
Another concern, Dr Dart said, was the GasFields Commission (soon to be renamed Coexistence Queensland), which he said did not report on their findings.
"The GasFields Commission does not allude to our work," Dr Dart Said.
"Tolerating ignorance of recognised seismic risk factors is a breach of the 'precautionary principle', a policy commitment of the Queensland and Australian governments since 1992 and abrogates their obligations to protect the public interest."
When Resources Minister Scott Stewart was asked if he had met with Arrow Energy in relation to the Clean Economy Jobs, Resources and Transport Committee - Mineral and Energy Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 and if he believed gas companies and developers are able to properly self-regulate if the bill was passed, he declined to answer the questions specifically.
Instead Mr Stewart said his department,"have consulted extensively since before September 2023 with stakeholders on these reforms and are continuing to do so."
"I, my office and the Department of Resources have met with farmers, companies and peak stakeholder groups on these reforms," Mr Stewart said.
"We would expect everyone to comply with any potential legislative changes."
The GasFields Commission was contacted for comment.
Arrow Energy was contacted for comment.
Know more about this issue? Contact Alison Paterson on 0437 861 082.
