New action as Santos withdraws Pilliga CSG rigs
ENERGY giant Santos has withdrawn its exploration drill rigs from the controversial Pilliga coal-seam gas project in northern NSW.
ENERGY giant Santos has withdrawn its exploration drill rigs from the controversial Pilliga coal-seam gas project in northern NSW, but faces fresh legal action over the possible contamination of drinking water on a neighbouring property.
As opponents warned that they would do all they could to stop Santos returning to the Pilliga for a planned 850-well production drilling phase, if approved, a farm group has challenged the company in court. The legal action is an attempt to use the Land and Environment Court to force Santos to hand over any information it may have regarding the contamination of two water bores near the controversial Pilliga coal-seam gas project north of Narrabri.
In 2012, local farmer Tony Pickard, whose land adjoins the Santos project, found that his household drinking bore had turned foul and was unusable. A second bore, used for stock watering, has also been affected.
Farmers action group Mullaley Gas and Pipeline Accord Inc says requests for information had been blocked by the company and it had turned to the NSW Environmental Defenders Office to launch civil proceedings.
A Santos representative said it “continues to have an ongoing dialogue with Mr Pickard both directly and in-directly through the Narrabri community consultative committee’’.
“Requests for information associated with water testing undertaken by Santos on Mr Pickard’s bore have been provided to him,’’ the representative said.
“Independent experts have also briefed Mr Pickard on the bore results.’’
Local farmers said they had been left with no choice but to take legal action.
“All other avenues of obtaining information have been exhausted, and it is vital that we now get enough information to assess the impact of Santos activities on groundwater resources,’’ said Liverpool Plains farmer and MGPA chairman David Quince.
“We have been driven to this action as a result of the secrecy employed by Santos and the disinterest shown by the NSW government.’’ .
Santos has argued that the Pilliga project was vital to securing much-needed gas supplies for NSW to offset the cost impact of liquefied natural gas exports from Gladstone, 550km north of Brisbane, later this year.