Multimillion dollar clean up continues at Hopeland CSG contamination site

How the multimillion-dollar clean-up of former Linc Energy’s CSG contamination site is unfolding on the Western Downs. Here’s what been fixed so far:

The multimillion-dollar clean-up of former Lin Energy’s CGS contamination site continues on the Western Downs. Pic: Jessica Flynn

As Arrow Energy plans to drill 280 CGS wells near Linc Energy’s Hopeland contamination site, the state has continued work to decommission and manage the remnants of the environmental disaster.

Located on the Western Downs south of Chinchilla, a 10km no-go-zone was created around the contaminated Hopeland site in 2019 to mitigate the risk of further contamination being caused by CSG companies.

Linc Energy was found partly responsible for the massive environmental disaster after they conducted an experimental coal seam gas project from 2007 to 2013.

A Department of Resources spokesman said there have been ongoing efforts to manage the decommissioning and remediation of the former Linc Energy underground coal gasification site.

“The… works include ongoing monitoring and contaminated land investigations to delineate sub-surface impacts and risks, expansion of the groundwater and gas monitoring program,” he said.

“The Department of Environment and Science also remains actively involved in environmental monitoring and community and landholder engagement.

“The Department of Resources continues to engage with DES and other stakeholders regarding monitoring and site activities.”

In 2019 the Queensland state budget allocated millions of taxpayer’s dollars to clean up the mess - $21.9m from the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, and $8.9m from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.

“The Government is providing increased funding of $17.6 million over four years ($19.4 million over five years) to continue the management and remediation of the former Linc Energy underground coal gasification site,” the budget papers read.

“The Government is providing increased funding of $8.9 million over two years to support environmental monitoring of land impacted by underground coal gasification by-products; and the ongoing prosecution of Linc Energy and its former directors for alleged serious environmental harm.”

The Department of Resources spokesman said multiple major rehabilitation works have been completed, which include:

• Remediation of five process water dams

• Demolition of the gas to liquid plant and surface gathering network

• Expansion of the groundwater monitoring network with installation of seven additional monitoring bores

• Well integrity and safety risk assessments of high priority wells

• Arrangements for the decommissioning of high priority wells

• Implementation of the site management plan in consultation with the Department of Environment and Science

The Department of Environment and Science has yet to approve Arrow Energy’s application to drill near the Hopeland contamination site after an independent study said there may still be risks of contamination to drill nearby.