The pitifully regulated activities of gas-mining companies, including SANTOS, are threatening to devastate groundwater reserves in the headwaters of the  Murray-Darling river system. 

Thankfully, as a result of the Caroona Coal Action Group, out of sight is no longer out of mind. The group has made a submission to the federal inquiry into the impacts of mining and coal seam methane extraction in the Murray-Darling.

The document makes alarming reading and supporters are encouraged to circulate it widely and support demands that the energy industry is made to cease this environmental and social vandalism.The submission can be viewed HERE .

The CCAG's website can be accessed HERE.

Questions which gas companies avoid answering:

1.     What exactly do gas companies propose to do with the water that is extracted from Coal Seam Methane (CSM) extraction?  We are talking about billions of litres – what are the alternatives to evaporation ponds?  Does this mean that our prime farming country is going to be covered in hectares of forest? And obvious resulting heavy traffic as Santos conveys the water to a central site?

2.    Given that milligrams per litre of salt can be over 10,000mg per litre, what exactly will gas companies do with the salt that is extracted?  Eg Santos projections in the Surat Basin on a conservative estimate of 2100 mg per litre will result in over 7 million tons of salt, which is combined with heavy metals.  Where exactly is this salt quantity of salt to be disposed of?

3.    Given the interconnective nature of the Murray-Darling Basin and the Great Artesian Basin how can this amount of extraction not result in the depletion of the water table and eventual draining of both these basins?

4.    Rehabilitation of boreholes – gas companies claim to cement off  the aquifers.  Given the amount of underground movement, to simply cement off core holes will not work.   Areas around here are located on the Hunter-Mooki fault line.  This type of sealing off will eventually become totally ineffective as solid block of cement will not move with the underground movements. This will result in cross-contamination of aquifers from not only methane but varying qualities of water and drilling fluids.

5.    What percentage of drilling fluid is lost down the coreholes?  In America, figures range from 30% to 60%.   What amount of drilling fluid will be lost and how much is used per hole?

6.    Given the “fraccing” process, which in itself is an inexact science, how can aquifers be repaired to prevent contamination?  The best parallel to this science is fracturing a dinner plate from a great height with a hammer – you succeed in fracturing it but you cannot possibly dictate the number of pieces that it will fracture into.  How can this possibly be repaired?