Media Statement
Moves to include emissions from CSG activities in greenhouse gas reporting
It is good that the Australian Government has released proposals to improve measurement and reporting of greenhouse gases from coal seam gas (CSG) exploration and production.
A Government discussion paper released today sets out proposals to introduce CSG-specific measurement and estimation methods into Australia’s greenhouse gas reporting framework.
This follows expert and community lobbying about the need to measure ‘fugitive’ emissions of methane released during CSG extraction and production.
Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gasses building up in the atmosphere.
Our local community has pushed for this as CSG activities should not be exempt from greenhouse gas reporting.
The Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE) has been reviewing existing methods for measuring CSG emissions for several months.
In particular I commend Dr Isaac Santos and Dr Damien Maher from Southern Cross University for their study of methane emission levels at Queensland CSG fields, which they submitted to the Department’s review.
Their research challenged CSG industry claims that it was a clean energy source and that emissions were ‘negligible’.
I re-iterate my commitment to a CSG-free Northern Rivers region, and welcome today’s announcement as yet another step towards investigating the full environmental impact of these activities.
Today’s discussion paper, Coal Seam Gas: Enhanced Estimation and Reporting of Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions under the NGER Measurement Determination, has been released for comment.
It proposes mandatory direct measurement of emissions from CSG well completions and workovers, and foreshadows further changes including research into methods for estimating CSG emissions beyond gas wellheads and from decommissioned CSG wells.
The discussion paper can be found here: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/submissions/coal-seam-gas-discussion-paper.aspx
16 April 2013
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