QGC ordered to clean up erosion spillage in Organ State Forest

A multi-billion dollar coal seam gas company has been ordered to clean up sediment washout in a Queensland state forest near Roma.

Environmental group Lock The Gate Alliance has continued to condemn gas drilling in the South West after sediment was released into a forest near Roma.

Earlier this month, gas coal seam company QGC were issued an Environmental Enforcement Order for failing to put in place “suitable erosion and sediment control measures” at its gas wells in the Organ State Forest.

They said the company had been ordered to clean up after 75 cubic metres of sediment was released into local waterways via stormwater run-off in a state forest North East of Roma.

“It’s concerning that QGC’s coal seam gas operations in a public forest has caused significant erosion and led to the release of sediment into local waterways,” Lock the Gate Alliance national co-ordinator Ellen Roberts said in a press release.

“There are thousands of coal seam gas wells pockmarking forests across Queensland, and this incident demonstrates one of the many ways they can cause environmental harm.

“QGC is backed by multinational oil and gas company Shell, which last year made a profit of more than $23bn.

“While we welcome the issuing of an enforcement order, the Queensland government should have gone further and fined QGC – this is a company that has more than enough money to avoid making mistakes that cause harm to Queensland’s much-loved environment.”

A Shell spokesperson said they were now dealing with the run-off.

“Shell QGC takes its compliance obligations very seriously and has an action plan in place to address the issue,” they said.

“We will continue to comply with all regulatory requirements.”

Originally published as QGC ordered to clean up erosion spillage in Organ State Forest