Santos accompany NSW EPA on pollution report inspection in the Pilliga

Santos Accompany NSW EPA

During our March 2024 post-fire Pilliga forest inspection at Bohena South 1 NWPA observed numerous pieces of burnt irrigation equipment including fibreglass rods, polycrete blocks, tech screws, bolts and plastic HDPE pipes. The area around the well site Bohena South 1 was littered with the remnants of Santos’ equipment. It was clear that a half-baked … Read more

Post bushfire in the Pilliga Forest and what Santos are doing

burnt signage in the Pilliga Forest

Following on from the aerial observations conducted over the Pilliga in January 2024, Northwest Protection Advocacy recently spent four days in the Pilliga Forest in an effort to observe and document the impact of the Duck Creek bushfire on the forest and Santos’ infrastructure. The days were very hot with extreme UV, with the forest … Read more

Who are the organisations, companies, contractors and suppliers helping Santos build their NSW gasfield?

Santos engages a multitude of contractors, companies and suppliers across its Australian operations. This list mostly focuses on the east coast and is by no means exhaustive. Many of these companies are active in NSW. Please get in touch if you would like to contribute to this list. A Acil Allen Consulting Economics AEP Environmental … Read more

Chasing the Waste from Coal Seam Gas methane mining in the Pilliga

By Johanna Evans Methane gas mining waste comes in many different forms and is produced by several different processes at multiple stages of mining operations. This story focuses on what’s happening in the Pilliga Forest, NSW in August 2023. Drilling Waste to be spread in the Pilliga Forest Scrutiny is urgently needed of the approved … Read more

Government relaxes gas leak reporting requirements for coal seam gas industry

By Johanna Evans The requirement for coal seam gas operators like Santos to report significant wellhead leaks has been dismantled by the NSW Government with a quiet update of the Code of Practice for Coal Seam Gas Well Integrity which has been replaced by a newer code that combines Well Integrity with the Fracture Stimulation … Read more

Coal Seam Gas – Rapid Landscape Transformation

Coal Seam gas transforms the landscape profoundly. This time lapse, courtesy of Google Earth Engine, visualises the change in landscape from 1984 to 2020 on Queenslands’ Western Downs. The Condamine State Forest is located top left of the image – in 2003 you can begin to to see the footprint of construction and gradually the landscape is gridded as the industry expands.

Please be aware that this is just one section of extensive gas fields. The industry is on track to drill 30,000 wells in Queensland.

In Australia, the regulatory frameworks set by each State and Territory vary widely across the country. The State of Queensland distinguishes itself both with regard to its unconventional gas reserves and the approach to exploration. The existence of favorable conditions for enterprises, both geologically and in terms of regulation, has contributed to the rapid expansion of the industry

(Measham et al., 2019)

Nine Lives for our Planet drills down into community activism

A fascinating panel discussion between Sue Higginson MP, Shay Dougall, Jo Evans and John Watts discussing the vital role of community activism in protecting the environment and the threats to our right to protest. This is a recording of the Avid Reader hosted event of the Brisbane Launch of Nine Lives for our Planet by … Read more

Regional Interests Development Approval (RIDA) to face challenge from farmers

The concerns of four farming families have been submitted to the Queensland Palaszczuk Government – the situation facing these families is that 14 coal seam gas wells are proposed to go underneath their properties via the process of deviated drilling between Dalby and Wandoan. The main concern is that the Palasczuk government’s planning rules for protecting … Read more

DPE rejects Santos bid to limit pipeline assessment but more scrutiny needed 

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has rejected a bid by Santos to avoid cumulative impact assessment of its planned Narrabri Lateral Pipeline. In its Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (“SEARs”) issued on 9th February 2023, the Department called on Santos to consider “the potential cumulative impacts due to other developments in the vicinity (completed, … Read more