Narrabri Gas

I am totally opposed to any further mining for fossil fuels and gas because of the environmental damage and interference with the water table and artesian water that consequently occurs. The ramifications of the toxic substances used underground and the subsequent burning of fuels all add to planetary warming.

Already there are known deleterious effects of gas mining which cannot be controlled or accurately prdicted on surrounding productive lands and water courses.
The 'Precautionary principal" must be applied and upheld. There are also deleterious social and health impacts from gas mining on neighbourhoods.

Morally and ethically there are strong reasons to not proceed with any further gas mining.
Economically, gains may accrue to Santos in the short term,
but these do not mean it is a wise or ethical to proceed.

I have a BA in Resource Use and in Environmental Studies and Land Management. from Macquarie University.

1. The Narrabri Gas Project risks precious water sources, including the Great Australian Basin--Australia's largest groundwater aquifer

The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin. The area of the Great Artesian Basin with the highest recharge rates is almost entirely contained within the Pilliga East forest. In a worst-case scenario, the water removed for CSG extraction could reduce water pressure in the recharge areas--potentially stopping the free flow of waters to the surface at springs and bores across the whole Great Artesian Basin.¹

Creeks in the Pilliga run into the Namoi River--a part of the Murray Darling Basin. This system is vulnerable to contamination from drilling fluid spills and the salty treated water produced from the proposed 850 wells.

2. The Gamilaraay Traditional Custodians are opposed

There are hundreds of cultural sites as well as songlines and stories connecting the Gamilaraay to the forest and to the groundwater beneath. Gamilaraay people are deeply involved in the battle against CSG, and have told Santos they do not want their country sacrificed for a coal seam gas field.

3. Farmers and other local community reject the project

Extensive community surveys have shown an average of 96% opposition to CSG. This stretches across a massive 3.2 million hectares of country surrounding the Pilliga forest, including 99 communities. Hundreds of farmers have participated in protest actions unlike any previously seen in the region.

4. The Narrabri Gas Project has a long history of spills and leaks of toxic CSG water--Santos cannot be trusted to manage the project safely

Santos has already contaminated a freshwater aquifer in the Pilliga with uranium at levels 20 times higher than safe drinking water guidelines, as well as lead, aluminium, arsenic and barium². In addition, there have been over 20 reported spills and leaks of toxic CSG water from storage ponds, pipes and well heads. Santos cannot be trusted.

5. The Pilliga is a haven for threatened wildlife

The Pilliga is one of 15 nationally listed 'biodiversity hotspots' and is vital to the survival of threatened species like the Koala, Spotted-tailed Quoll, Black-striped Wallaby, Eastern Pygmy-possum, Pilliga Mouse and South-eastern Long-eared Bat. The forest is home to over 200 bird species and is internationally recognised as an Important Bird Area². The Santos gasfield would fragment 95,000 hectares of the Pilliga with well pads, roads, and water and gas pipelines--damaging vital habitat and threatening the survival of endangered species.

6. Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change

Methane is by far the major component of natural gas, and is a greenhouse gas 72 times more powerful than CO². CSG fields contribute to climate change through the leakage of methane during the production, transport, processing and use of coal seam gas.

7. Human health is compromised by coal seam gas

A range of hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds can be released into the air from coal seam gas operations, including flaring of gas wells. The effects of volatile organic compounds vary, but can cause eye, nose and airway irritation, headache, nausea, dizziness and loss of coordination⁴. These impacts have been documented in human populations nearby to existing gasfields in Queensland, Sydney and in America.

8. The nation's premier optical astronomical observatory is at risk

The Siding Springs Observatory, situated in the Warrumbungles and adjacent to the Pilliga, is under threat from the Narrabri Gas Project due to light and dust pollution⁵. The area has been internationally recognised as a 'dark sky park'⁶ and the 50m high gas flares proposed by Santos threaten the viability of the facility.

9. Thousands of tonnes of salt waste will result from the project

Santos has no solution for disposing of the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of salt that will be produced. Between 17,000 and 42,000 tonnes of salt waste would be produced each year. This industry would leave a toxic legacy in NSW.

10. Risk of fires would increase throughout the Pilliga's tinder-box conditions

Methane flare stacks up to 50m high would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is prone to severe bushfires. The project would increase ignition sources as well as extracting, transporting and storing a highly flammable gas right within this extremely fire-prone forest.

Money can not be eaten nor drunk, Likewise Coal seam gas can not be used to drink. Water is more precious and should not be threatened by this measily attempt at covering up shrinking Crude oil supplies. Coal seam gas should never be used. stop all atempts at extracting it, and never start another one.

Stop this environmental vandalism now.
Look at the devastation this technology has already wrought in this country and the even more extensive problems in America.
The political decision making in this country is completely devoid of any vision and is being manipulated by financial interest groups for short term gains.
How much longer will agriculture be able survive in this country?

I object to this project in it's entirety.

Santos made a very bad commercial decision at Gladstone when it spent billions on export facilities. Now Santos needs every bit of Australian gas to export overseas to limit its losses.

The damage to the environment from this project is unacceptable. As an Australian citizen I strongly object to my children's and grand children's heritage being irretrievably damaged.

My research into Coal Seam Gas or CSG extraction leads me to believe that it is very detrimental to the environment, and hence the animals and people that rely on the land for survival. The area of this proposal puts at risk the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling basin, two key water basins in our state and country. I understand that local farmers and traditional custodians are opposed to this proposal, and the Siding Springs observatory is also at risk of light and dust pollution.

I am a Santos shareholder and a farmer. My farm is in the South West Slopes of NSW. I am particularly concerned about the effect of CSG on aquifers. I am also concerned about the negative impact of CSG on individual landholders.
I think most people realise it is about time that we started to look after our enviroment rather than chase the dollar.

I object to the development of coal seam gas through fracking in the Pilliga forest area of Narrabri. Fracking the Great Artesian Basin is a frought and risky strategy for gas extraction. The estimated quantity of salt produced by this proposed development is significant (an estimated 100T/day when fully operational) and has the potential to damage the artesean basin , upon which the livelihoods of many Australians, and the health of the environment utterly depend. The Great Artesean basin is much too precious and essential a resource to risk in the search for ever more gas to be extracted in ever more problematic ways.

The Narrabri Gas Project has a long history of spills and leaks of toxic CSG water--Santos cannot be trusted to manage the project safely.
The Narrabri Gas Project risks precious water sources, including the Great Australian Basin--Australia's largest groundwater aquifer. It cannot be threatened!
Farmers and other local community reject the project.
Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change

The Narrabri Gas Project poses great risk to precious water resources for millions of people and adds to the hazards already threatening the environment. The development of a coal seam gas field by Santos is ludicrous in light of the fact that over 20 reported spills and leaks of toxic CSG water from storage ponds, pipes and well heads have already been reported. Santos cannot be trusted. What will happen to tonnes of salt waste? What will happen to the Siding Springs Observatory with light pollution? Stop fracking!!!!!

I have camped in the middle of this amazing forest with my daughter. It is too precious to risk by a development involving old and dangerous technology that is being increasingly replaced by renewables throughout the world.
The fire risks involved are not fanciful. Where I camped a bushfire lookout tower was nearby. It has been there for decades..it is there for the very reason that the forest is extremely bushfire prone. .In fact I had to climb the tower to check on a bushfire which was was approaching the southern end of the forest. To have gas burning stacks in such a region is insanity.
This area is a valuable tourist resource and should be preserved and further promoted as same. A wonderful NPWS exhibition centre at the edge of the park promotes its unique natural wonders and aboriginal sites. The forest is a magnet for tourism in the region.
The forest should be preserved for that purpose..and promoted. Not put at risk.

To who it may concern,

I am astonished that Santos continues to push to drill for CSG in the Pilliga putting at risk not only our farmland, the health of those within the vicinity but most importantly the Great Artisan Basin aka WATER. No amount of 'spin' from big companies like Santos and the politicians that work for them will convince me or a huge majority of people in NSW that CSG is needed-its completely illogical! You can promise all the 'safeguards' in the world but they do not stack up against the fact that if the water that sustains not just farming but the incredible biodiversity that is the Pilliga is poisoned (as I believe WILL happen) then it will be the beginning of a long slow disaster that will include human beings. Putting Economics before Environment is arrogant and where there is arrogance there is usually stupidity-why don't you prove this wrong and stop this ridiculous proposal?
Yours Sincerely
Linda Young

Fracking has a bad reputation wherever it has been used.

Water pollution, soil degradation, earthquakes have all been
shown to be directly related to fracking in the US

It is wrong to replicate these known serious problems. here when safe energy sources like solar and wind are available.
and plentiful in Australia

I want Santos to set a good example of a socially responsible enterprise.

This will bring nothing but degradation of unique public land and methane leakage. Please cease and desist attempts to use csg in the Pilbara.

850 gas wells through the heart of the Pilliga forest and the Great Artesian Basin would be destroying the heart and soul of Australia, contaminate land, air and water.

Local communities deserve that their farmland, water and forests are protected.
I am opposing Santos' CSG?
Santos have already proven they can't be trusted to look after the environment and precious resources like water. They've poisoned an aquifer at Narrabri with uranium 20 times over safe levels, and there have been over 20 other reports of spills and leaks of toxic CSG water.

The risks are too great. Santos' drilling could permanently damage the Great Artesian Basin -- the sole water source for towns and farms across 22% of rural Australia. It will produce 100 tonnes of salt every day at peak production, further polluting the land.
Australia doesn't need new gas fields. Solar and storage can now provide cheaper power than coal and gas (with the added bonus of not destroying our climate and farmland).
We need to keep NSW CSG-free. Our water is too precious to risk, so are our air and land.
Please note my objection to this dangerous Narrabri coal seam gas project.

We don't need any more gas fields being dug. What we need is to keep here enough of our gas, worth billions, that is being sent offshore. The Australian Government needs to negotiate with the global gas exporters so that Australia retains what is rightfully ours. We are giving away our wealth.

I object to Coal Seam Gas in the Pilliga. My reasons are the environmental degradation to the water table is not acceptable and it is important that the food bowl of NSW remains growing food, without fear of pollution for generations to come.

Australia is one of the driest continents on Earth! We must treasure the underground water- it takes millions of years to filter through the ground, and cannot be 'cleaned up' in the event of an accident!
Santos' drilling could permanently damage the Great Artesian Basin -- the sole water source for towns and farms across 22% of rural Australia. It will produce 100 tonnes of salt every day at peak production.
We MUST preserve water for future food production- we cannot import water from overseas in return for our gas!

The future of Australia's food supply hinges on water- Or do we want our grandchildren to become dependent on importing our food from overseas?

As a former Narrabri resident of 5 years, I am mortified that Santos wish to conduct CSG activities X 850 sites in the Pilliga forest! This is a distinctive forest are and as Australia is an island.....keeping our water basins pristine not polluted is paramount for biodiversity and for agriculture and humans too....The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin. The area of the Great Artesian Basin with the highest recharge rates is almost entirely contained within the Pilliga East forest. In a worst-case scenario, the water removed for CSG extraction ( not an environmentally clean, safe or green activity) could reduce water pressure in the recharge areas--potentially stopping the free flow of waters to the surface at springs and bores across the whole Great Artesian Basin. Climate Change is real and temperatures are increasing globally and water is vital to overall survival.......green renewable energy is the way to go....Frac no more!

Also, Creeks in the Pilliga run into the Namoi River--a part of the Murray Darling Basin. This system is very vulnerable to contamination from drilling fluid spills and the salty treated water produced from the proposed 850 wells. Salty water kills vegetation, affects biodiversity adversely!

The mining giant have just released their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for their Narrabri Coal Seam Gas project -- a project that will see 850 gas wells drilled in and around the Pilliga Forest.

This is the last CSG project standing in NSW, and it's a shocker. Santos' drilling could permanently damage the Great Artesian Basin -- the sole water source for towns and farms across 22% of rural Australia.1 It will produce 100 tonnes of salt every day at peak production.2