Overview
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| At the gate of AGL's FRACK FARM NEAR GLOUCESTER NSW |
On advice from the interim Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development (IESC) about the technical scope of the project, the Australian Government provided $4.2 million for the National Assessment of Chemicals Associated with Coal Seam Gas Extraction in Australia (the National Assessment).
The National Assessment
The National Assessment will examine human health and environmental risks from chemicals used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing for CSG extraction in Australia. It will inform the Australian Government, the IESC, industry and the public about the use and potential risks of these chemicals.The National Assessment will:
- develop an understanding among stakeholders of the public, occupational and environmental risks arising from chemicals used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing for CSG extraction in Australia, thereby addressing some existing scientific gaps and stakeholder concerns;
- provide an evidence base for the appropriate management of chemicals as part of the broader management of CSG activities; and
- improve public access to information about chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations.
Available published and unpublished national and international data and an industry survey will inform the national assessment. It will:
- identify chemicals used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing for CSG in Australia;
- characterise any potential short and longer-term adverse effects to human health and the environment caused by chemicals used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing;
- assess the public, occupational and environmental risks
arising from their use based on current Australian work practices. The
assessment will consider:
- surface handling of hydraulic fracturing and drilling chemicals at the well site (handling, storage, transport, mixing, injection, surface spills, spills into natural water courses), and
- surface handling of flowback and produced waters that flow up the well bores (this will include activities such as transport from the well site, storage, treatment and waste disposal);
- identify those contaminants that naturally occur underground ('geogenic' contaminants) and may be mobilised from Australian coal seams as a result of the fracturing process, and assess the environmental risks arising from these contaminants; and
- develop models and tools to predict soil and surface/shallow groundwater concentrations of chemicals used in CSG extraction from transport and site spills, overflows, runoff and leaks from surface ponds.
- preliminary studies to examine the potential movement of naturally occurring underground contaminants from Australian coal seams;
- developing models to predict the extent of fracture growth within the coal seams in different locations in Australia; and
- developing tools and simulators to predict concentrations of CSG chemicals in deeper groundwater.
Timing
This project commenced in July 2012 and is expected to be completed in 2014.Where to get more information
Information will be released progressively via the NICNAS website throughout the course of the National Assessment. See also Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)For more information on coal seam gas mining go to:
web: http://www.environment.gov.au/coal-seam-gas-mining/index.html
email: water.science@environment.gov.au
Images @ Eminpee Fotography
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