Santos contaminates aquifer

[icyfroth]

Santos coal seam gas project contaminates aquifer

A coal seam gas project operated by energy company Santos in north-western  NSW has contaminated a nearby aquifer, with uranium at levels 20 times higher  than safe drinking water guidelines, an official investigation has found.

It is the first confirmation of aquifer contamination associated with coal  seam gas activity in Australia - a blow to an industry pushing state and federal  governments for permission to expand.

Santos was fined $1500 by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, which  posted a media release on its website on February 18, without identifying the  nature of the contamination.

Two days later, Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner signed a memorandum of  understanding with Santos to speed up  the project, in the  Pilliga forest near  Narrabri, guaranteeing a decision on its future by January 23 next year.

On Friday, EPA chief environmental regulator Mark Gifford confirmed the  contamination was caused by water leaking from the pond and that lead,  aluminium, **bleep**nic, barium, boron, nickel and uranium had been detected in an aquifer at levels ''elevated when compared to livestock, irrigation and health  guidelines''.

Read more: Entire Article Here

I want them shut down.

[lakeland27]

remember to vote Green next time then. its the only way to get them 'out'

[freakiness]

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@icyfroth wrote:

Santos coal seam gas project contaminates aquifer

A coal seam gas project operated by energy company Santos in north-western  NSW has contaminated a nearby aquifer, with uranium at levels 20 times higher  than safe drinking water guidelines, an official investigation has found.

It is the first confirmation of aquifer contamination associated with coal  seam gas activity in Australia - a blow to an industry pushing state and federal  governments for permission to expand.

Santos was fined $1500 by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, which  posted a media release on its website on February 18, without identifying the  nature of the contamination.

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Wow, a lousy $1500 fine!

[lakeland27]

one days pay for one worker on a drilling crew.

[the*scarlet*pimpernel]

Apparently the damage was so minimal that $1500 accurately reflected the seriousness of the offense.

PFFFT

[monman12]

How about the 7-800 other coal seam gas wells in Australia which provide 90% of Queensland's gas needs and 15% of the state's electricity generation?. Or what about the many 100's of thousands of wells in existence overseas?.

It is  a little harsh having "Santos" as the headline villain when the problem was caused by another company e.g.:
The investigation concluded there was no evidence contractors engaged by the previous owner of the project, Eastern Star Gas, followed strict rules when building a pond to hold waste water and brine produced when gas is extracted.
Which is probably why the fine was minimal. because it occurred under the previous management of Eastern Star Gas before Santos acquired the company in November 2011.

If those who oppose CSG mining, often with little technical knowledge of the process and its history,  wish to protect the environment they could start with:

Agricultural: Pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and animal waste are agricultural sources of groundwater contamination. The agricultural contamination sources are varied and numerous: spillage of fertilizers and pesticides during handling, runoff from the loading and washing of pesticide sprayers or other application equipment

Pollution has made significant impacts on the Great Barrier Reef and its struggle for survival.  Main-land based pollution stressing the coral reef ecosystems are chemical and nutrient based. This type of pollution includes fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, human derived sewage, and large amounts of sedimentation from coastal land development.

CSG extraction and the relatively rare trumpeted incidents might be the current cause célèbre, but I suggest  there are far more  ever-present forms of pollution that need  our attention, and it might also be noted that  natural gas is less polluting than coal.

nɥºɾ

[the*scarlet*pimpernel]

The investigation concluded there was no evidence contractors engaged by the previous owner of the project, Eastern Star Gas

Santos has spent a lot of money cleaning up after Eastern Star Gas. Regardless of who was responsible, I find these toxic waste ponds rather disturbing.
 

[freakiness]

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@monman12 wrote:

If those who oppose CSG mining, often with little technical knowledge of the process and its history,  wish to protect the environment they could start with:

Agricultural: Pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and animal waste are agricultural sources of groundwater contamination. The agricultural contamination sources are varied and numerous: spillage of fertilizers and pesticides during handling, runoff from the loading and washing of pesticide sprayers or other application equipment

Pollution has made significant impacts on the Great Barrier Reef and its struggle for survival.  Main-land based pollution stressing the coral reef ecosystems are chemical and nutrient based. This type of pollution includes fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, human derived sewage, and large amounts of sedimentation from coastal land development.

CSG extraction and the relatively rare trumpeted incidents might be the current cause célèbre, but I suggest  there are far more  ever-present forms of pollution that need  our attention, and it might also be noted that  natural gas is less polluting than coal.

nɥºɾ

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People have acted to improve those problems as well.  

Just because they oppose CSG doesn't mean they've done nothing about other pollution too.

For starters almost all coastal areas now have sewerage systems instead of bottomless septic tanks that seep into the waterways.

A lot of improvements have been made to minimise fertilizer and pesticide run off as well as that caused by coastal land development.

It's an ongoing process. when I was a kid the waterways were basically used as a dumpig ground for all sorts of waste.