Landowners demand legal action against Beach Energy over Katnook gas plant
Limestone Coast landowners are outraged by months of inaction by “cowboy” Katnook gas plant operators, despite the EPA saying there is no risk to public health.
Mount Gambier
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Limestone Coast landowners are calling for legal action after a potential leak in a stormwater lagoon at a gas plant near Penola went unrepaired for seven months.
Just months after it was recommissioned, two holes were discovered in the lagoon liner of the Katnook gas processing plant in March, with one yet to be fixed, while samples taken in September indicated potentially toxic hydrocarbons were present.
Adelaide Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Beach Energy, continued to use the lagoon to store run off and waste water despite the potential impact to surrounding groundwater.
The EPA issued an environmental protection order last month, ordering it be repaired by November 15, but maintains there was no risk to public health.
The order stated the natural gas facility was in breach of its license and had not taken “all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent or minimise any resulting environmental harm”.
Limestone Coast Protection Alliance is outraged insufficient action was taken immediately after the holes were discovered.
Co-chair Angus Ralton, who lives near the site, said Beach Energy could not be trusted to protect the local environment from pollution and public health risks.
“Beach Energy constantly tells people in the South East that they’re going to use world’s best practise and here we are, they’ve have been behaving like cowboys,” Mr Ralton said.
“They could have stopped, fixed the problem and then gone on but it got to the stage where they actually got issued with a EDO, which is a serious matter.”
Mr Ralton said the response by the EPA to the contamination fell well short of community expectations.
“We’re used to seeing gas companies get a slap on the wrist when they pollute the environment, but this is ridiculous,” he said.
“We’re calling for Beach Energy to be prosecuted for polluting our groundwater.
“We’d also like to see independent monitoring of groundwater in the area, not more ‘self-monitoring’ by petroleum companies.”
Works are currently underway to drain the stormwater pond, which Beach Energy’s regional manager Jon Conti said will determine if an anomaly in the liner is a hole and allow the company to make any necessary repairs.
“Beach is currently in the process of conducting repairs to the stormwater pond, after an anomaly in the lining was detected during routine testing,” Mr Conti said.
“Contrary to the claims of the LCPA, recent groundwater bore testing carried out by an experienced and independent environmental firm has not detected any hydrocarbons in the groundwater.
“Beach continues to work with the EPA and the Department for Energy and Mining to keep them informed of our progress on this issue.”
At the time the EPO was issued, director of science and information Keith Baldry said it was unknown if groundwater on the site had been affected however the EPA had taken a cautious approach issuing the order to provide greater regulatory control over the company’s remedial actions.
Today confirming there remained no evidence of environmental harm and the company was taking positive action to repair the potential leak with the EPA awaiting results of enhanced groundwater monitoring.
“There is no evidence that pollutants have left the Katnook site as a result of the potential leak,” Mr Baldry said.
“The levels of pollutants are low, and there is no public health risk. However, integrity of lagoons is part of Adelaide Energy’s environmental licence, and it’s important that groundwater in the region is protected.”