Western Downs farmer launches gas drilling intervention on neighbouring property

A Western Downs farmer has sought government support to prevent gas drilling on his neighbouring property after claims that the Surat Gas Project had caused subsidence.

A Western Downs farmer who successfully challenged Arrow Energy’s plans to drill on his property has lodged a ministerial intervention to stop further nearby drilling.

One of the “Springvale Four” John “Kojak” Karrasch said since 2020 gas drilling on neighbouring properties by Arrow Energy had caused his mixed grain farm to sink, and changes in land gradient had caused the flow of water from a nearby feedlot to run over his property.

This comes after Arrow Energy announced plans to drill six wells on a neighbouring property to his east, and two on the property to his west as part of their 27-year project in Queensland’s Surat Basin.

“Arrow Energy’s drilling on neighbouring properties is causing country on my farm to sink. It’s severely impacting my ability to grow crops for Queenslanders and others right around the country,” Mr Karrasch said in a press release.

“It’s an absolute travesty that multinational gas companies can wreck Aussie farms while the government just sits back and lets it happen.”

Chinchilla-based landholder advocate Dr Shay Dougall said both neighbouring farms were classified as “priority agricultural land” and coal seam gas drilling by Arrow Energy could cause impacts to Mr Karrasch’s property.

“The priority agricultural land-listed farms of the Springvale district should all be protected under Queensland law from damage caused by coal seam gas drilling,” she said in a press release.

“Here on the Western Downs, farmers not only fear coal seam gas wells being drilled on their land, but also the gas wells next door.

“This is having a devastating impact on some of Queensland’s best farmland, and that’s why farmers like Kojak are calling for immediate ministerial intervention.”

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An Arrow Energy spokeswoman rebutted this.

“Our industry is subject to hundreds of conditions imposed by federal, state, and local governments, and we have all required approvals in place for our upcoming activities,” she said.

“Arrow complies with all existing legislation, which already provides clear recourse and protection for landholders in the event their operations are affected by our activities.

“We are committed to ensuring that essential energy production is maintained to power homes, businesses and industries, without putting farming operations at risk.

“To protect the integrity of farming regions where we work, we are also investing millions of dollars in safeguards, research, and monitoring.”

Mr Karrasch and Dr Dougall said they are yet to receive a response from the government after lodging the complaint last month.