Arrow Energy plans major gas processing plant outside Cecil Plains, concerns raised over air quality

Residents and farmers around a small town have raised serious concerns about a gas giant’s plan to build its largest processing plant to date less than 10km from the main street.

A plan by gas giant Arrow Energy to build its largest processing plant just kilometres from a Toowoomba region town has raised serious concerns among locals and farmers.

Arrow last month submitted what they called a “minor” amendment to its environmental authority with the Queensland government to build a 120 terajoule/day plant called Lynwood, roughly 8km west of the town of Cecil Plains — which has a population of 400 people.

The plant, which would be the company’s third in Queensland but first in the Toowoomba region, would be more than double the size of its two existing facilities at Daandine and Tipton.

The state government has since determined the amendment is not minor, requiring Arrow to carry out community consultation on the project at the appropriate time, while activists have noted the initial documents contained a number of factual errors.

Arrow Energy has lodged plans with the state government to build its newest and largest gas processing facility, just 8km from the town of Cecil Plains.

The site’s proximity to Cecil Plains has raised alarm bells around the plant’s impact on air quality, given the amendment proposal states Lynwood would directly emit nearly 70,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) every year.

It is estimated in the proposal about 1.25 million tonnes of gases would be emitted between 2030 and the end of the project’s life in 2047.

For its part, Arrow said it had forecast the construction of Lynwood as far back as 2012 as part of its original EA.

Arrow Energy has lodged plans with the state government to build its newest and largest gas processing facility, just 8km from the town of Cecil Plains. Designs of the facility.

Cecil Plains farmer and anti-coal seam gas advocate Liza Balmain said the size and scale of the project gave many residents cause of concern.

“Obviously we’re very concerned about the general things like traffic density, impaired road conditions, noise and the dust that this construction will take,” she said.

“But most concerningly is the emissions, the noxious emissions that will be emitted from this gas plant, especially at times of flaring — when there’s maintenance or there’s an issue in the gas field and they need to flare off the gas, this is where that will occur.

“It’s far from a minor amendment and thankfully the Department of Environment has confirmed it will be assessed as a major amendment which will trigger public notification and the ability for the public to make submissions.”

Property owner Liza Balmain speaking at the Protecting Prime Ag Land soil symposium, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Arrow did not answer direct questions in relation to concerns around air quality, however its amendment proposal argued additional “ambient air quality detectors” near Cecil Plains were not required.

The document stated assessments had not “identified any potential for adverse air quality impacts associated with the proposed Lynwood FCS operation”.

But Ms Balmain said, given carbon monoxide would not be monitored, that the company needed to prove further that any changes in air quality would not be harmful to humans.

“We would want proper air quality monitoring near the site, and we need proper health impact studies done,” she said.

“There’s been nothing across the gas field – there was a very minimal study in 2013 by Darling Downs Health or Queensland Health, which did recommend comprehensive air quality monitoring in the affected areas.

“If they can’t prove categorically that our health and wellbeing is assured, then they shouldn’t be approving these projects so close to population centres or any sort of residents really.”

Arrow responds to concerns

An Arrow Energy worker at its Tipton gas project 30km west of Dalby.

Arrow’s external affairs vice president Matthew Jeffries said the company was developing Lynwood under the “most stringent environmental regulations in the world”.

“Submitting an EA application does not signal the commencement of activities (and) Arrow will engage with landholders and the broader community well in advance of any work,” he said in a statement.

“EAs are assessed by the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI).

“We resubmitted our amendment application following a DETSI request for additional information.

“If the EA amendment is approved, Arrow will be required to comply with all EA conditions to ensure the environment is protected.

“We have been engaging with the community about our plans for a facility on the Arrow property at Lynwood since 2012, including at public information sessions.”

The assertion of early consultation by Arrow has been disputed by some Cecil Plains residents such as Jo Jannusch, who said the company had understated the scope of Lynwood.

“We knew they brought out the back on the block, but as we knew it back then, it was suggested that they might put a small pump on it,” she said.

“Now what they’re planning now is not a small pump.”

Mr Jeffries’ statement also hinted at future plans for Cecil Plains, while noting the company was “currently focused on other phases of the Surat Gas Project, including our new development area northeast of Miles”.

Ms Balmain said she believed Arrow planned to make inroads into the Toowoomba region, which she said would threaten some of the best-quality agricultural land in Australia.

Such an expansion would appear to go against the moratorium the Toowoomba Regional Council endorsed in 2023 around new gas exploration within its boundary, though such an act is not enforceable in any way.

“We’re farming on some of the best country, the most highly productive, highly fertile soils in the whole of Queensland. There’s only a scarce area of it, I think less than three per cent of Queensland is priority agricultural area, and we’ve got this amazing water source underneath us,” she said.

“It’s mind-boggling to think that they can put all that at risk for such short-term supposed gain from the gas industry.

“I’m not trying to say agriculture is better than gas, but there’s got to be a recognition of the (former’s) value, and the fact that we believe that coexistence is not possible in all situations and we really want the government to understand that as well.”

Condamine MP Pat Weir. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Condamine MP and Queensland speaker Pat Weir, who pledged the LNP would develop a more rigorous assessment process to prevent impacts of gas on the Condamine Alluvium, said he had been listening to the concerns raised by landholders.

“There is work happening on the regional plan (under deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie), so that will include checks and balances on gas projects,” he said.

“Wind projects have just been changed to (be considered as) impact assessment, (and) it could be how the minister decides with gas projects going forward, or they would have to prove that they’re not going to have a detrimental impact on the Condamine Alluvium.

“I’ve talked to landowners from Cecil Plains and … they were encouraged by the conversations that the government was having.”