Plan to mine gas under homes.     :o

Date
    December 29, 2012


LARGE-SCALE coal seam gas drilling would take place directly under suburban streets and backyards in Sydney under a proposal being assessed by the state's planning and infrastructure department.     :o

But the gas company AGL has ruled out using the controversial fracking technique at its proposed 66-well gasfield between Liverpool and Campbelltown.

About 10,000 homes in the affected area, covering suburbs such as Currans Hill, Varroville, Kearns, Eschol Park and Denham Court, have been notified of the company's plans by newsletters.     :(   

AGL said there would be no impact at the surface, even for houses directly above the path of a drill.


''It is possible that horizontal drilling could take place under houses. However it is worth noting that as per the community update provided by AGL, horizontal wells do not cause any impact on surface infrastructure above,'' a spokeswoman said.

The proposal before the planning agency is for up to 66 wells at 11 sites. While the surface well heads are mostly between 300 and 400 metres from homes, the plan calls for underground drilling of up to 2.5 kilometres from the surface site, a radius that includes thousands of homes.

The technique involves drilling a well about 700 metres down, then guiding the drill horizontally under the earth to reach sources of underground coal seam gas and create a path for it to be brought to the surface.

But some residents believe not enough is known about methane leaks that appear to be caused by large-scale gas drilling.     :(

They fear that by sucking water and gas up from underground, some gas will find other ways up to the surface, and could end up leaking through fissures in the ground and emerging in suburbs.     :o

''We're concerned with what we're seeing in Tara in Queensland,'' said Jacqui Kirkby, of the Scenic Hills Association, which opposes coal seam gas drilling in the district.

''Once you de-water a coal seam, the gas can find its way up to the surface and goes wherever it can.''

At the Tara gasfield on the Western Downs, high levels of methane, carbon dioxide and other compounds have been detected at distances of several kilometres from drilling sites.

Ms Kirkby said people she had spoken to in western Sydney generally did not trust AGL's assurances that the drilling techniques were completely safe.

''I think it's just that natural tendency for Australians to take things with a grain of salt,'' she said. ''AGL won't ever talk about the potential downsides of what they're trying to do, so people tend not to believe them.''

The company said it had been transparent with residents about its drilling plans, and invited people to make submissions about the proposal, which is on public display at the NSW planning website until February 8.

''Horizontal wells do not cause any impact on surface infrastructure,'' a spokeswoman told Fairfax Media.

''Drilling horizontally into the coal seam creates a path that allows the gas to travel back to the surface. This technique stimulates the flow of gas, meaning that other stimulation techniques like hydraulic fracturing will not be used in the northern expansion area.''

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, involves pumping a mix of water, sand and chemicals down a well at high pressure, to force gas to the surface. The technique has been used at some other AGL wells.

NSW Health is expected to make a submission to the planning agency to outline its view on the possible health effects of gas drilling in populated areas.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/plan-to-mine-gas-under-homes-20121228-2bz9w.html#ixzz2GTax9BzW

Hospitals, schools, houses above planned gas drilling sites

Date
    December 30, 2012


Proposed gas drilling sites.

GAS will be mined from directly underneath Campbelltown Hospital under plans being considered for approval by the state government.

The mayor of Campbelltown, Sue Dobson, said people would ''stand and fight'' a proposal by gas company AGL to extract coal seam gas from underneath key infrastructure and thousands of homes. Opponents to coal seam gas say drilling leads to the environmental hazard of gases escaping to the surface and polluting water courses. The gas industry says the process is proven and safe.

According to AGL's submissions report, the desired gasfield feeding 66 new wells includes the central business district of Campbelltown, including both the public and private hospitals.     :(

The Campbelltown campus of the University of Western Sydney would also be affected by the ''horizontal drilling'' planned by AGL. Schools would also be in the path of the drilling 700 metres below the surface, as would the Macarthur Square shopping centre and the M5 motorway.


AGL insists the process is safe but Ms Dobson said locals were unconvinced. ''It's not on to mine under our homes and under our hospital. It's outrageous,'' she said.

John Fraser, 61, who lives in Eschol Park close to one of the proposed wells, said he was concerned about the expected nine months of non-stop drilling. ''I'm worried about the byproducts of the mining, how it might damage the water system, devalue our house and cause health issues,'' he said.     :o

An AGL spokeswoman said underground extraction posed no danger to surface infrastructure and community health.

''AGL has consistently consulted with the community about the proposed northern expansion of the Camden Gas Project, in line with NSW legislation and regulations for well over three years,'' she said.

''It is possible that horizontal drilling could take place under populated areas however it is worth noting that … horizontal wells do not cause any impact on surface infrastructure above.''

The Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham said extracting coal seam gas from underneath built-up areas was ''completely inappropriate'', claiming evidence from Queensland's industry that gas escapes to the surface, posing an environmental risk.     ;)

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hospitals-schools-houses-above-planned-gas-drilling-sites-20121229-2c0aw.html#ixzz2GTd34Sd0

good idea.  create jobs, profits and tax revenues to help pay off Labor's debt :)

It hasn't been easy, but then forcing change never is.

Thanks GetUp, our work is never done. This is what we have accomplished in 2012....and much more!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzenB9tHeHo

I bet you it will never happen in the rich suburbs ;)

I'm surprised you have only just found out about this imcrook. It's been known about for six months at least.
It's an outrageous plan. Gas drilling should be kept away from residential and agricultural areas.
It's not necessary, there is gas everywhere. Let them drill in uninhabited, unused areas.
The trouble is, with modern horizontal drilling techniques, they can go anywhere. And horizontal drilling can utilise fraccing as well.

Coal Seam Gas mining is a crime against humanity and nature.

It should be stopped immediately.

The next generation will surely ask

"What the hell were they thinking"

No it's not a crime against anything. Like anything else, like sex, it depends how you do it and where.
CSG mining is turning the American economy around, bringing jobs back from China and on the way to making them self-sufficient in energy again so they don't have to pander to corrupt ME regimes. Isn't that a good thing?
As long as they do it properly.

Not happy at all about this.

But watch some scumsucker pop up and attempt to justify it.

Once GREED is removed, it IS unjustifiable.

As if they would "do it properly" anyway. Ppl dont. Ppl cut corners and do things slapdash to make more profit.

SOB

wrote on Dec 30^th, 2012 at 6:58am:

AGL said there would be no impact at the surface, even for houses directly above the path of a drill.

until the shaft collapses ....