Decision delayed to approve hundreds of gas wells in Hopeland

The Queensland Government will take six additional months to decide on Arrow Energy’s application to drill 280 gas wells near contaminated groundwater in Hopeland, on the Western Downs.

DELAY: The state government has delayed their decision to approve Arrow Energy’s plan to drill near Linc Energy’s Hopeland contamination site. Pic: Supplied

Arrow Energy’s amendment application to drill hundreds of gas wells near contaminated groundwater in Hopeland on the Western Downs, has been delayed by The Department of Environment and Science for six months.

DISASTER: The Chinchilla Linc Energy site at Hopeland near Chinchilla on the Western Downs. Pic: Jessica Flynn

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

In 2019, a 10km no-go-zone was created around the contaminated site to mitigate the risk of further contamination being caused by CSG companies.

The Department of Environment and Science planned to decide on Arrow Energy’s application on April 15, although after commissioning a concerning independent study, the process appears to have slowed.

A Department of Environment and Science spokesman said in agreement with Arrow, the decision date had been extended to November 30, 2021.

PROPOSED WELLS: Each black dot indicates a proposed gas well and each blue line proposed gathering infrastructure. Pic: Arrow Energy

While investigating the risks associated with the project, independent groundwater consultants, RDM Hydro, found there had been “sufficient uncertainty” around the spread of contaminants via Arrow’s activities.

“It cannot be conclusively stated that contaminants (including benzene and naphthalene) will not migrate beyond the site boundaries due to Arrow’s development,’’ the report stated.

In late 2020, Arrow Energy applied to amend its current environment application authority to include CSG wells, 440 kilometres of pipelines, and a raft of operational changes.

EXAGGERATED: Arrow Energy CEO Cecile Wake said, “despite inflated claims… the independent report is largely in alignment with Arrow’s modelling of what will occur.” Pic: David Kelly

Arrow Energy CEO Cecile Wake said a lot of scientific study had been put into understanding every aspect of the Hopeland site – above and below ground.

“The facts are these – there is a low likelihood of contaminants leaving the former Linc Energy site, regardless of whether or not Arrow develops coal seam gas in the surrounding area,” she said.

Chinchilla landholder, advocate and consultant Shay Dougall, said the contamination risk of Arrow Energy’s plan to expand operations in Hopeland only scratched the surface of a multitude of negative ramifications.

“Arrow have also applied to build a landfill for their waste, to dump their low point straight onto the ground, which is high salts and other contaminants, and land spraying their residual drilling material onto properties – all of which is within an existing high value primary agricultural area,” she said.

“The bottom line is there are greater risks to local landholders who are looking down the barrel of now a ‘double barrelled’ shotgun – with the legacy of Linc and now the impacts of Arrow.”

BIRDS EYE VIEW: The Linc Energy Hopeland site form the air. Pic: Supplied

The state government is still cleaning up Linc Energy’s multimillion-dollar environmental disaster, and legal proceedings are also yet to be finalised.

Originally published as Decision delayed to approve hundreds of gas wells in Hopeland