QUEENSLAND’S NEW PETROLEUM LEGISLATION—ITS IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES

2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 525
Author(s):  
P.M. Green ◽  
S.G. Matheson ◽  
K.D. Ralph ◽  
M.E. Thompson ◽  
T.J. Brain
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Coal Seam ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Coal Seam Gas ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Managing Risk

up-to-date legislative environment for the petroleum industry in that State. The legislation specifically addressed issues in relation to upstream competition for exploration acreage and provided for storage of petroleum for a third party. It implemented the coal seam gas regime which provides a mechanism for the optimisation of the State’s coal seam gas and petroleum resources. The rights of existing holders of petroleum tenure were protected through the continuation of the Petroleum Act 1923 for selected authorities to prospect and petroleum leases. A new safety regime was implemented with the aim of addressing and managing risk rather than the emphasis being on the prescriptive compliance with Regulations. The safety regime covered all aspects of petroleum, from its production, transportation and use. The implementation of the new legislation required the development of work procedures to assist with uniform decision-making under the new legislation. This is particularly important owing to the continuation of the Petroleum Act 1923.

Managing well integrity in Queensland

2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 810
Author(s):  
Michael P. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Coal Seam ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Coal Seam Gas ◽  
Continuous Improvement Process ◽  
Well Integrity ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Abandoned Wells ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Compliance Program ◽  
Systemic Problems

A significant increase in activity in the Queensland petroleum industry began around 2005 with the rapid growth of coal seam gas developments. The integrity of these drilled wells is paramount to the continued safe operation of the Queensland petroleum industry, ensuring no detrimental effect to safety, health and environment. The Queensland Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate (PGI) is responsible for monitoring industry compliance with well integrity management requirements under the regulatory framework. This is achieved through three proactive actions (engagement, inspections, audits) and three reactive actions (response to enquiries, complaints, incidents). This paper focuses on the well inspections and audits conducted by the PGI. The PGI conducts an annual program of well inspections as part of its risk-based compliance program. These inspections are in addition to the inspections performed by industry. Although recent inspections have found well integrity-related deficiencies requiring rectification, no major or systemic problems have been identified. In fact, industry generally appears to be proactively addressing any deficiencies they find through their own well integrity management processes. The PGI is in the process of ensuring a renewed focus on well integrity during its own well inspections through structured and standardised inspections that have clear aims. This is part of a continuous improvement process and is a risk-based decision informed by the data that have been gathered. This will help ensure the program is not simply focused on quantity of inspections, but also on outcomes and quality. To complement the well inspection program, several audits have been conducted over the past 4–5 years. As part of this, in the first quarter of 2019, the PGI began conducting audits of the well integrity management systems (WIMS) of the four major coal seam gas producers. The results of this audit show improvement in both WIMS documentation and the implementation of those systems. Future PGI work in this area includes continuing with the recent audit programs, reviewing inspection processes and a plan to increase focus on plug and abandoned wells over the next 18 months.

scholarly journals Australian local government’s contribution to good governance on major projects: increasing information, participation and deliberation

2021 ◽  
pp. 60-78
Author(s):  
Sarah de Vries
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Coal Seam ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
New South ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Coal Seam Gas ◽  
South Wales ◽  
East West ◽  
Do So

Decision-making for major projects is often outside the legal remit of local governments in Australia. Nevertheless, local governments are the legitimate representatives of their communities and as such, can potentially make an important contribution to the decision-making process. However, little is known about how they may do so. This paper addresses that gap by analysing two case studies: Coal Seam Gas projects in northern New South Wales and the proposed East West Link tunnel in Melbourne. The research finds that local governments can contribute to good governance by increasing the quality and availability of information, community participation, and opportunities for local deliberation. However, this study also found a number of barriers to local governments making these contributions, which can disincentivise and limit local advocacy. The paper suggests there may be a range of benefits to be gained by reducing those barriers.

The changing face of Queensland's petroleum industry

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Troup ◽  
Peter Green
Keyword(s):  
Coal Seam ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Coal Seam Gas ◽  
Petroleum Wells ◽  
Well Data ◽  
Coal Measures ◽  
Exploration Well

The cycles and related changes in exploration targets identified in this study show the evolution of the Queensland petroleum industry from conventional petroleum to coal seam gas dominance. Delineation of these cycles was undertaken using petroleum exploration well data, and production and reserves statistics. Although the cycles are defined on the basis of exploration activity, there is a very different history in the types of targets and commodities explored for in the Bowen-Surat and Cooper-Eromanga basins. Trends in exploration success have been influenced by technology improvements, better understanding of target reservoirs, proximity to infrastructure, government policy and world oil prices. Four distinct exploration cycles have been identified from the data. During the first cycle (1959–74) exploration focused predominantly on the shallower Jurassic-aged reservoirs in the Bowen-Surat basins resulting in the discovery of most of the major conventional oil and gas fields. The second cycle (1979–89) saw exploration begin in earnest in the Cooper-Eromanga basins and a switch to predominantly Triassic-aged reservoirs in the Bowen-Surat basins. The first coal seam gas exploration wells were drilled during this cycle. The third cycle (1990–99) shows a decrease in the number of conventional petroleum wells across both regions and the beginning of the switch to the present dominance of coal seam gas. The fourth cycle (2000–present) shows a significant decrease in the number of conventional exploration wells drilled across both regions, but an increase in the success rates. All conventional discoveries in the Bowen-Surat basins during cycle four have been in Permian-aged reservoirs, reflecting a change in the exploration focus to deeper parts of the Bowen Basin. Coal seam gas exploration has expanded significantly, with the Walloon Coal Measures being targeted, resulting in nearly four coal seam gas wells drilled for each conventional petroleum exploration well state-wide since 2000. Examination of coal seam gas exploration highlights the many false starts since the first well was drilled in 1980. Exploration has shifted from area to area as companies tested different exploration concepts and completion techniques. The most obvious shift has been from Permian-aged targets of the Bowen Basin into the Jurassic-aged Walloon Coal Measures in the Surat and Clarence-Moreton basins, as its prospectivity was realised.

Informal and Nonformal Adult Learning in the Coal Seam Gas Protests: Mobilizing Practices and Building an Environmental Justice Movement for Change

2021 ◽  
pp. 074171362110053
Author(s):  
Tracey Ollis
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learning ◽  
Coal Seam ◽  
Environmental Justice ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Coal Seam Gas ◽  
The Public ◽  
Theory Of Practice ◽  
The Earth

This case study research examines informal adult learning in the Lock the Gate Alliance, a campaign against mining for coal seam gas in Central Gippsland, Australia. In the field of the campaign, circumstantial activists learn to think critically about the environment, they learn informally and incidentally, through socialization with experienced activists from and through nonformal workshops provided by the Environmental Nongovernment Organization Friends of the Earth. This article uses Bourdieu’s “theory of practice,” to explore the mobilization of activists within the Lock the Gate Alliance field and the practices which generate knowledge and facilitate adult learning. These practices have enabled a diverse movement to educate the public and citizenry about the serious threat fracking poses to the environment, to their land and water supply. The movements successful practices have won a landmark moratorium on fracking for coal seam gas in the State of Victoria.

Ghana's petroleum industry: expectations, frustrations and anger in coastal communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-424
Author(s):  
Jesse Salah Ovadia ◽  
Jasper Abembia Ayelazuno ◽  
James Van Alstine
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Negative Impacts

ABSTRACTWith much fanfare, Ghana's Jubilee Oil Field was discovered in 2007 and began producing oil in 2010. In the six coastal districts nearest the offshore fields, expectations of oil-backed development have been raised. However, there is growing concern over what locals perceive to be negative impacts of oil and gas production. Based on field research conducted in 2010 and 2015 in the same communities in each district, this paper presents a longitudinal study of the impacts (real and perceived) of oil and gas production in Ghana. With few identifiable benefits beyond corporate social responsibility projects often disconnected from local development priorities, communities are growing angrier at their loss of livelihoods, increased social ills and dispossession from land and ocean. Assuming that others must be benefiting from the petroleum resources being extracted near their communities, there is growing frustration. High expectations, real and perceived grievances, and increasing social fragmentation threaten to lead to conflict and underdevelopment.

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