Groundwater

The Queensland Government has laws to protect groundwater supplies and the environment from the impacts of petroleum and gas activities, including coal seam gas (CSG).

Chapter 3 of the Water Act 2000 requires that:

• petroleum and gas operators monitor and assess the impact of their operations on underground water
• operators publish a report which outlines their obligations, including monitoring obligations on aquifers and springs
• operators comply with legally binding make good agreement obligations, including the requirement to undertake a bore assessment and negotiate a make good agreement
• the independent Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment assess and predict the impact of CSG water extraction on groundwater resources in cumulative management areas (CMAs).

Find out more about groundwater management.

CSG water

CSG water, which is the water that is drawn to the surface during the process of extracting CSG, is defined as a waste under Queensland's laws and generally contains reasonably high levels of salt. CSG water must be disposed of under the conditions of a CSG operator's environmental authority, or used under a beneficial use approval (where the material changes from a waste to a resource).

The Queensland Government has developed the Coal Seam Gas Water Management Policy 2012. This guides CSG operators in managing CSG water under their environmental authority (EA), to encourage the beneficial use of CSG water in a way that protects the environment and maximises its productive use as a valuable resource.

Information is also available on chemicals commonly used in the hydraulic stimulation process (the process of creating cracks in underground coal seams to increase gas recovery) in the information sheet Fraccing and BTEX (ESR/2015/1565) (PDF, 197KB).

CSG environmental management

In addition to protecting water resources, the Queensland Government has established a comprehensive framework for all aspects of CSG environmental management to protect soils, vegetation and wildlife. All CSG projects are required to meet these standards before receiving regulatory approval knows as an environmental authority.

Monitoring and assessing CSG activities

The Queensland Government has strict monitoring and compliance regimes in place to make sure CSG companies meet their legal obligations.

Environmental assessments

Under Queensland law, all applications for CSG activities are subject to rigorous environmental assessment and approval processes before starting a project.

Read more about environmental assessments.

The Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment

The Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment (OGIA) provides the groundwater management functions previously carried out by the Queensland Water Commission.

Find out more about the role of OGIA in CSG groundwater management.

Cumulative management areas

In areas of concentrated CSG development, the impact on water levels caused by individual petroleum and gas projects can overlap. These areas may be declared as cumulative management areas (CMAs). The area of planned concentrated CSG development in Queensland has been declared as the Surat CMA. OGIA prepares the underground water impact report for the Surat CMA. Find out more about cumulative management areas.

Mining Community Infoline

The Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development is the central point of contact for all community and landholder enquiries, concerns and assistance relating to CSG issues. Contact the Mining Community Infoline.

Healthy HeadWaters CSG Water Feasibility Study

The Queensland Government assessed the feasibility of using CSG water to address water sustainability issues in the Queensland section of the Murray-Darling Basin (QMDB).

The Healthy HeadWaters CSG Water Feasibility Study undertook a series of investigations into the:

• risks of extracting and using CSG water
• likely supply and demand
• specific opportunities for using CSG water in the QMDB.

The results of the study have guided an integrated assessment framework of the cumulative impacts of CSG discharge to surface waters.

CSG legislation, policy and industry guidelines

The CSG industry's environmental and water management obligations are governed by a regulatory framework that includes elements of the:

• Environmental Protection Act 1994
• Water Act 2000
• Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004.

The environmental regulatory framework also includes:

• standards for CSG water dams to ensure the environment is protected
• requirements as part of the environmental authority for operators to progressively rehabilitate the land over the life of CSG projects
• rules governing all aspects of CSG environmental management protecting soils, vegetation and wildlife. CSG projects must meet these standards before they can be approved.

CSG projects must meet these standards and gain an approved environmental authority before they can operate.

Reporting CSG concerns

If you have any concerns about CSG operations, you can contact us with your resource enquiry or complaint.

Also consider...

• Learn more about the regulatory framework of Queensland's CSG-LNG industry.

The links to fact sheets on this page contain more detailed information for landholders about the management of coal seam gas (CSG) activities in Queensland.

CSG water management

• Coal seam gas water provides an overview of policy, legislation and guidelines relating to the CSG industry.
• Regulated structures including dams provides information for assessing regulated structures associated with planned CSG activities.
• Salt and brine management in coal seam production explains how CSG water is a by-product of CSG production.
• Groundwater resource laws for coal seam gas explains the obligations CSG producers have to predict, monitor and manage the impact of a company's underground water extraction on landholders' water bores, springs and other water users.
• Aquifer impacts and 'make good' arrangements explains how and when CSG operators must enter into make good agreements with landholders.
• The Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment (OGIA) details OGIA's role in managing the cumulative impacts of CSG water extraction on groundwater resources.
• Landholder information sheet on transferring certain petroleum infrastructure to landholders (ESR/2020/5430) (PDF, 193KB) explains the process for receiving infrastructure from petroleum operators.

Cumulative management areas

• Cumulative management areas explains the process and implications for petroleum and gas tenure holders and bore owners in a cumulative management area.
• Surat cumulative management area details the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation's declaration of the Surat cumulative management area. A detailed map of the Surat cumulative management area is also included.

Environmental assessment

• Environmental assessments and management of CSG developments describes the environmental assessment process for Queensland's CSG industry, including the role of environmental impact statements (EIS).

Hydraulic fracturing

• Hydraulic fracturing (fraccing) in CSG wells explains the process of creating cracks in coal seams to increase the flow and recovery of gas or oil out of a well.

Regional Planning Interests Act 2014

• The Regional Planning Interests Act 2014 identifies and protects areas of Queensland that are of regional interest, including Priority Agricultural Areas, the Strategic Cropping Area, Strategic Environmental Areas and Priority Living Areas. The Act manages the impact of resource activities and other regulated activities in areas of regional interest. A regional interests development approval (RIDA) may be required where a resource is proposed in an area of regional interest. Find out more about applying for a RIDA.

Transfer of CSG and other petroleum infrastructure to landholders

The Queensland Government authorises petroleum operators to construct various types of infrastructure when undertaking petroleum activities issued under an environmental authority (EA).

Certain types of on-farm petroleum infrastructure (such as wells and bores) are of value to landholders and the transfer of these assets for agricultural and other purposes is supported providing certain circumstances are met.

Responsibility for this infrastructure may be transferred, either during or upon completion of the petroleum activity, allowing them to use it for their own purposes.

While the transfer of petroleum assets would most commonly occur after the EA has been surrendered, it can occur earlier if the infrastructure is no longer required by the EA holder.

Infrastructure that is suitable to be transferred to landholders is categorised according to environmental risk and rehabilitation requirements for ongoing management and monitoring.

The new guideline, Transferring petroleum infrastructure to landholders (ESR/2020/5403) (PDF, 737KB) provides information for environmental authority holders about the types of infrastructure that can be transferred to landholders and the process.

To transfer petroleum infrastructure, the petroleum operator and landholder need to develop a written agreement. Depending on the infrastructure the environmental authority holder may also need to amend their environmental authority.

Learn more about the process for landholders who are interested in taking on infrastructure from petroleum activities.

Reporting CSG concerns

If you have any concerns about CSG operations, you can contact us with your resource enquiry or complaint.

Also consider...

• Learn more about the regulatory framework of Queensland's CSG-LNG industry.