What is bad about coal seam gas?

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?

Natural gas extracted from coal seams can offer a number of benefits as an energy source: natural gas typically burns more efficiently than coal or oil and can emit less greenhouse gas at the points of extraction and combustion.

Is coal seam gas fracking?

In some cases hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’, is used to extract coal seam gas. Hydraulic fracturing is the process of injecting fluid under high pressure into a coal seam to widen existing fractures and create new ones.

How is coal seam gas used to produce energy?

Natural gas from coal seams forms part of the gas supply piped into more than one million homes and businesses in NSW for use in everyday cooking, heating and manufacturing. CSG is used to generate electricity in gas-fired power stations as a low emission alternative to electricity produced from coal.

How does coal seam gas affect the environment?

The extraction of coal and coal seam gas (CSG) will generate produced water that, if not adequately treated, will pollute surface and groundwater systems. In Australia, the discharge of produced water from coal mining and related activities is regulated by the state environment agency through a pollution licence.

What was the coal seam gas water management policy 2012?

The Coal Seam Gas Water Management Policy 2012 focuses on the management and use of CSG water under the Environmental Protection Act 1994, and does not vary the requirements of the Water Act 2000 (Water Act), such as ‘making good’ any relevant impacts that may result from a CSG operation on water supply bores.

How is coal seam gas regulated in Australia?

The Australian Government’s approach to regulating coal seam gas extraction and coal mining is risk-based and deals with uncertainty through adaptive management. Specialist officers monitor approved projects to ensure that conditions are complied with — non-compliance is treated seriously and significant penalties can be applied.

How does coal mining affect the environment in Australia?

In Australia, the discharge of produced water from coal mining and related activities is regulated by the state environment agency through a pollution licence. This licence sets the discharge limits for a range of analytes to protect the environment into which the produced water is discharged.