This submission (see below for copy) is made in relation to the proposed amendment to Environmental Authority EPPG00968013 (Ironbark) (the “EA”), including activities proposed within PL1106. The submission is made under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld) (EP Act) and is confined to matters relevant to the EA amendment decision, including the adequacy of information provided, the assessment of environmental risk, and the appropriateness of existing and proposed EA conditions.
The submitter objects to the amendment on the grounds set out below and relies on the facts and matters identified in support of those grounds.
Synopsis of amendments
- Application increases the size by 46 hectares and 46 CSG wells (up from 100 wells). The total footprint of existing authorised and proposed gas wells and ancillary infrastructure is approximately 321.5 ha
- Application for waste disposal on site of residual drilling material at 146 sites
- Application to stimulate (hydraulically fracture) 37 wells
- Around 50% of the petroleum lease is strategic cropping land
- Origin will extract a total of 10 billion litres of water from the Ironbark area over the life of the project. These 46 wells will extract 700 million litres of water
This is an unusually large EA, covering 21 Petroleum Leases (“PLs”) and has had 16 amendments since 2021 (a very large amount) – and an increase in Estimated Rehabilitation Costs of $250 million.
Origin has been issued 4 Enforcement Actions – an Enforceable Undertaking – Jan 2020 – water (captured rainfall and resuspended solids and salts) during decommissioning of pilot tanks containing contaminants, was directly or indirectly released to land and waters as a result of a rainfall event. Associated with it are two Clean Up Notice’s for same the EPO.
Origin wants to drill a total of over 700 wells in this petroleum lease. However, it is only applying here for approval for 46 wells. This means that the cumulative impacts of its operations are not being assessed. It is the thin edge of the wedge and community are aware that this piecemeal approach to assessment is misleading of the assessment process.
NWPA_Sub_A-EA-AMD-100854689_Redacted