Senex Energy’s Project Atlas near Wandoan approved by federal government

A gas project expected to provide more than 10 per cent of Australia’s annual domestic gas requirements has been approved for the Western Downs, however environmental groups warn it's not all good news. Find out more here.

Senex Energy’s Project Atlas near Wandoan in the south-west Qld. Picture: Supplied by Senex Energy

An environmental group has raised concerns that a Gina Rinehart-backed coal seam gas project in the Western Downs would clear endangered koala habitats and impact local farmland around Wandoan.

Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek approved stage 3 of Senex’s Atlas project on Tuesday, which will involve the construction of up to 151 coal seam gas wells, as well as access roads, associated pipelines and a 300 million litre CSG brine storage facility north west of Miles.

The decision to grant environmental clearance for Atlas brings to an end an approvals process that has lasted almost two years, with the project to provide 60 petajoules of gas a year, representing more than 10 per cent of annual domestic gas requirements.

Senex's project Atlas near Wandoan.

Senex chief executive Ian Davies said the approval marked a significant milestone and represented the final, major hurdle to get the expansion underway.

“We now have the necessary investment confidence and regulatory approvals to proceed with our expansion and deliver sorely needed natural gas supply to the east coast market,” Mr Davies said.

“This announcement is especially timely given the current pressures that the east coast energy system is experiencing, particularly in southern states.

“The clear solution is more gas supply, and our announcement today is part of that solution. The federal government has made it clear that gas is required until 2050 and beyond, and that investment in new gas supply is needed if we are to reach net zero with thriving industries.

“Senex’s expansion will deliver 60 petajoules of natural gas each year to the east coast market from the end of 2025 which represents more than 10 per cent of annual east coast domestic gas requirements.

“The expansion will drive a significant boost in natural gas supply for Australia, demonstrating Queensland is continuing to do the heavy lifting for the east coast.”

Resources and Critical Minerals Minister Scott Stewart said he welcomed the news that Senex’s project was moving forward.

“This project will support more than 900 jobs and inject more than $200m into the local businesses and communities,” he said.

“Since 2017, Queensland has released more than 20,000km of land exclusively for Australian domestic supply.

“Senex’s original Atlas tenement was the first dedicated to domestic supply by this government.

“Unlocking more gas and supplying it to the domestic market is critical for both households and our manufacturing industry and we have always said gas is an important part of our energy transition.

“It’s only the Miles government that has a clear path forward through the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.”

Despite this environmental group Lock the Gate warned the project would have significant consequences for both farms and wildlife.

They warned the project was expected to require the drainage of about 6.5 million litres of groundwater each day as the coal seams are depressurised causing Western Downs farmland to sink.

Environmental groups have slammed the federal government for approving a massive gas project they claim would involve the clearing of koala habitat. Photo: Generic.

They also said the project’s environmental impact statement showed it would clear at least 360ha of “koala dispersal habitat”, however the final approval didn’t adequately describe the amount of habitat clearing, describing the clearing as “4ha of trees, measured in canopy cover within mapped koala dispersal habitat”.

“Minister Plibersek is happy to pose for photos with cute and cuddly koalas one day and then approve the clearing of hundreds of hectares of koala habitat for new Gina Rinehart-backed coal seam gas developments the next,” Lock the Gate Alliance national co-ordinator Ellen Roberts said.

“Koalas face death by a thousand cuts and despite her assurances that there would be no new extinctions under her watch, Tanya Plibersek is yet to fix Australia’s broken environment laws and prevent further loss of koala habitat and ensure that the impacts of climate change on them are not ignored for a project like this.

“The expansion of the coal seam gas industry in Queensland is irreversibly damaging the state’s best farmland. Water has been contaminated, water bores drained, and cropping country is sinking.

“Queensland communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change, yet our governments continue to approve polluting fossil gas projects that are sending the climate crisis into overdrive.

“The vast majority of Queensland’s gas is exported overseas, and the biggest domestic user of gas in Queensland is the gas industry itself. There would be no need for this project if Australian and Queensland governments were managing existing gas fields in the national interest.

“Generating energy for industry must not come at the cost of the state’s best farmland, its water resources, and unique ecosystems.”

Originally published as Senex Energy’s Project Atlas near Wandoan approved by federal government