Possible environmental effects: environmental groups have raised concerns that CSG development might cause environmental damage through release of untreated production water at the surface; damage to, and contamination of underground aquifers by hydraulic fracturing; damage to wildlife habitat in sensitive areas and …

What is coal seam gas?

coal bed methane
Coal seam gas (CSG), also known as coal bed methane, is a form of natural gas typically extracted from coal seams at depths of 300-1,000 metres. CSG is a mixture of a number of gases, but is mostly made up of methane (generally 95-97 per cent pure methane).

Is coal seam gas sustainable?

Coal seam gas is a non-renewable energy resource that is a by-product of coal. It is a ‘pure’ and ‘non-toxic’ gas and for this reason has attracted a lot of commercial interest. During the process of coal formation, biogenic and thermogenic methane gas forms.

Is coal seam gas good or bad?

Some chemicals used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing, and naturally occurring contaminants released from the coal seam during mining, could harm human health, given sufficient dose and duration of exposure. This potential harm includes increased risk of cancer.

Why is coal seam gas good?

Using CSG to generate electricity reduces CO2 emissions by up to 70 per cent compared with coal, and gas is critical to us meeting our greenhouse reduction targets. Gas is also the perfect partner to back up intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind or solar.

How does coal seam gas work?

Coal seam gas is held in place by water pressure. To extract it, wells are drilled through the coal seams and the water pressure is reduced by extracting some of the water. This releases natural gas from the coal. In some cases hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’, is used to extract coal seam gas.

Is coal seam gas clean?

Coal Seam Gas (CSG) is not a ‘clean transition’ fuel because of the potential for substantial fugitive methane emissions associated with extraction and distribution. CSG may prove to be more damaging to the climate than coal.

Is fracking banned in UK?

The UK government imposed a moratorium on fracking in England in 2019. Scotland and Wales have moratoria in place against hydraulic fracturing. The last advice was provided in 2016 and, since then, fracking has effectively been banned and the UK has altered its Climate Change Act.

What’s the latest on the coal seam gas project in NSW?

Experts, locals, and environmentalists have voiced their dismay after a controversial coal seam gas project in northwest NSW was granted approval. Northwest NSW locals have vowed to keep fighting against a controversial coal seam gas project while experts and environmentalists have voiced their dismay after it was approved.

Does Santos’ coal seam gas project stack up economically or scientifically?

A demonstrator protests against Santos’ plans for a major coal seam gas field near Narrabri, in the state’s north west, in Sydney in 2017. Narrabri farmer Stuart Murray said the project doesn’t stack up economically or scientifically. “It’s put a big dent in my trust in the process.

Is Whitehaven trying to get the go-ahead for more coal exploration?

Notoriously poorly behaved corporate citizen Whitehaven is trying to slip past proper process and community consultation to get the go-ahead for more coal exploration near Narrabri.