Hydrocarbon gas refining
General information
Environmentally relevant activity (ERA) 9 (Hydrocarbon gas refining) is defined in Schedule 2 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 and may only be conducted under the terms of a development approval and registration certificate.
The definition of ERA 9 is paraphrased below with the various activities that are encompassed by the ERA definition and the threshold at which these activities will require a development permit and registration certificate. The annual fee for an activity encompassed by ERA 9 is based on the aggregate environmental score (AES).
(1) Hydrocarbon gas refining (the relevant activity) consists of refining natural gas or coal seam methane gas.
(2) The relevant activity does not include—
(a) collecting gas from sewage treatment works or from decomposition of organic waste in landfills associated with carrying out a relevant waste management activity; or
(b) collecting naturally occurring gas from coal seams if the collection is authorised under schedule 5 or 6; or
(c) reforming or synthesising gas.
(3) In the following table, the aggregate environmental score, if any, for the relevant activity is the score stated opposite the threshold within which the relevant activity is carried out.
ERA threshold |
ERA description |
AES |
Administering authority |
|---|---|---|---|
ERA 9(a) |
Refining in a year less than 200,000,000m3 of natural gas |
0 |
DERM |
ERA 9(b) |
Refining in a year 200,000,000m3 or more of natural gas |
19 |
DERM |
ERA 9(c) |
Refining coal seam gas |
64 |
DERM |
Particular words or phrases
DERM is the Department of Environment and Resource Management.
Guidelines and policies
If applying to DERM, you should refer to the information sheet Information to be provided with an application for a development approval (DA) for an environmentally relevant activity (ERA) - EM2150 (PDF, 101K)* when preparing your application.
Pre-design/pre-lodgement meeting service
DERM offers a pre-design/pre-lodgement meeting service for projects they are the administering authority for. This service enables an applicant to meet with relevant DERM officers to discuss all the information requirements to be provided with an application prior to its preparation and lodgement.
This service can be initiated by contacting Permit and Licence Management or by email at palm@derm.qld.gov.au or completing the form Application for a pre-design/pre-lodgement meeting - EM1125 (Word, 285K)‡.
Permits and approvals
A development permit and registration certificate are required to carry out this activity.
The development permit will contain conditions to ensure that industry is conducted in a way that minimises impacts on the environment.
The relevant local government must be contacted regarding any requirements to the lodgement and assessment of a development application. Generally, where development is assessable under a planning scheme, the local government will be the assessment manager and DERM a concurrence agency. The development permit application is made to the assessment manager who will issue an acknowledgement notice. A copy of the acknowledgement notice and application and the relevant fee must be provided to each concurrence agency.
For more information on the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (Qld), the Integrated Development Assessment System and the process for obtaining a development permit, visit the Department of Local Government and Planning website.
Forms and fees
There are a number of activities encompassed by this ERA, each with its own threshold and AES. Different annual fees apply to each activity. These fees are based on the AES shown above. These fees are exempt from GST and a tax invoice will not be issued for these fees.
The application fees are listed in the information sheet Fees for permits for environmentally relevant activities (ERAs) - EM33 (PDF, 88K)*. The annual fees are listed in the information sheet Summary of annual fees for environmentally relevant activities (ERAs) - EM389 (PDF, 194K)*.
Application forms can be obtained online; contact Permit and Licence Management or email palm@derm.qld.gov.au for assistance.
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Last updated 20 January 2012