Groundwater
Extracting water from coal seams is essential for coal seam gas (CSG) production. The Queensland Government recognises that protecting groundwater resources and access to good quality groundwater is vital for agriculture in many areas.
A fact sheet—New Arrangements to Protect Groundwater Resources in Coal Seam Gas Extraction Areas (PDF, 132K)*—provides an outline of the statutory framework that has been developed to ensure CSG producers (and other petroleum activities) manage the impacts of water extraction.
In addition to protecting water resources, the Queensland Government has established a comprehensive framework for all aspects of CSG environmental management to protect soils, vegetation and wildlife. Projects will be required to meet these standards prior to receiving regulatory approval.
- Impact on the Great Artesian Basin
- Baseline Assessment Guideline
- Bore Assessment Guideline
- Cumulative Management Areas (CMAs)
- Trigger thresholds
- Make good agreements
- CSG Groundwater Information Portal
Impact on the Great Artesian Basin
It is expected that the impact on the Great Artesian Basin, from the expanding CSG to LNG industry will be minimal:
- Coal seam gas extraction in Queensland will not drain the Great Artesian Basin.
- The Great Artesian Basin holds about 65 million gigalitres of water. This is equivalent to about 116 000 Sydney Harbours.
- Over the life of the coal seam gas industry in Queensland (around 50 years), it is estimated that the industry will extract around 2,500 gigalitres (averaging about 125 gigalitres per year over the initial 14 years) of water from the Great Artesian Basin. This is about 0.004 per cent of the Basin’s total volume.
More information about managing the impacts of CSG extraction on underground water in the Great Artesian Basin (PDF, 132K)*.
Find out more about the Great Artesian Basin (PDF, 222K)* (GAB) or view the GAB map.
Baseline Assessment Guideline
Under the Water Act 2000 (the Water Act) baseline assessments of water bores are required in areas where petroleum and gas production testing or production has commenced. Baseline assessments of private water bores are required to assist with any potential make good agreements.
The Baseline Assessment Guideline provides both petroleum tenure holders and bore owners with information on:
- the purpose of baseline assessments
- the legislative requirements that must be met by both petroleum tenure holders and bore owners
- technical advice on the mechanisms for undertaking baseline assessments.
Bore Assessment Guideline
Bore assessments establish whether a bore has, or is likely to start having, an impaired capacity to supply a reasonable quantity and quality of water for the bore’s intended use and purpose, as a result of extracting water. This data is considered in conjunction with the original baseline assessment in order to assist in determining the extent of any impact.
Read more about bore assessments (PDF, 90K)*.
Cumulative Management Areas (CMAs)
A Cumulative Management Area (CMA) provides a system to assess and manage the cumulative underground water impacts from multiple petroleum tenures.
The Department of Environment and Resource Management’s Chief Executive has declared a Cumulative Management Area (CMA) (PDF, 18K)* for the Surat and Southern Bowen Basin areas, including the alluvium of the Condamine River.
More information on the Surat Cumulative Management Area.
Management of groundwater in CMAs
The management of groundwater in cumulative management areas is overseen and coordinated by the independent Queensland Water Commission.
For each cumulative management area the commission will produce an underground water impact report which will include:
- a prediction of impacts on water levels
- a water monitoring program
- a spring management strategy
- an assignment of responsibilities to individual coal seam gas operators to undertake water management activities in the area.
More information on the role of the Queensland Water Commission.
Trigger thresholds
A trigger threshold is the amount of decline in water level in an aquifer or bore impacted by CSG operations, over and above the seasonal or climatic water level fluctuations and those caused by non-CSG activities, which could pose a risk to water supply from the bore.
The purpose of setting trigger thresholds is to manage the risk posed by CSG operations to water supplies that rely on water bores.
If projected water level decline at a bore location, caused by CSG activities, is greater than the trigger threshold value and the bore owner has noticed a reduction in water supply from the bore, then the owner of that bore has the right to ask the CSG operator to investigate the situation and to make good the water supply.
The government has now set trigger threshold values for different aquifers. These are:
- 5 metre drop for consolidated aquifers, such as sandstone
- 2 metre drop for shallow alluvial aquifers
- 0.2 metre drop for springs, including watercourses connected to springs.
Make good agreements
If water extraction by a CSG operation is affecting an existing water bore, then the responsible CSG company must undertake restoration measures to restore the bore’s capacity to supply water, or provide the bore owner with an alternative water supply.
Restoration measures, which are negotiated between the bore owner and the CSG company, may include:
- adding a rising main to lower the pump setting in the bore
- increasing the water column above the pump
- improving the pressure at the bore head, including new headworks and piping, if the affected supply is artesian
- changing the pump so that it is better suited to the decreased water level in the bore
- deepening the bore to allow it to tap a deeper part of the aquifer
- reconditioning of the water bore to improve its hydraulic efficiency
- drilling a new bore
- providing an alternate water supply.
The bore owner and CSG company may also agree to a monetary settlement.
Read more about make good agreements (PDF, 123K)*.
CSG Groundwater Information Portal
DERM, in collaboration with major CSG tenure holders in the Surat and Bowen basins has developed a CSG Groundwater Portal. Initially, the CSG Groundwater Portal is providing historical water level and salinity records (measured as conductivity) from the four major CSG explorers and producers in the Surat and Bowen basins. These are Santos, Origin Energy, Queensland Gas Company (QGC) and Arrow Energy. The portal includes water level and salinity records from selected monitoring bores operated by DERM
The portal also provides information about the location of:
- existing water bores and their purpose
- gas production and exploration wells
- springs and baseflow fed watercourses.
Help in accessing the data
A help file is available to provide guidance on how to access information.
More information
For information about bores, water levels and water quality, please contact the CSG and LNG hotline on 13 25 23.
The portal is based on or contains data provided by the State of Queensland (Department of Environment and Resource Management) 2010. In consideration of the State permitting use of this data you acknowledge and agree that the State gives no warranty in relation to the data (including accuracy, reliability, completeness, currency or suitability) and accepts no liability including without limitation, liability in negligence) for any loss, damage or costs (including consequential damage) relating to any use of the data. Data must not be used for direct marketing or be used in breach of the privacy laws.
The use of DERM data by others is governed by the conditions outlined in the department's Copyright, Disclaimer and Privacy statements, available at the bottom of this page.
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Last updated 7 December 2011