A new study by CSIRO and The University of Queensland has examined the potential for coal seam gas (CSG) activity in Queensland to affect human health.
A 2,150km² study site in the Surat Basin, Queensland, was selected with CSG infrastructure in the study area comprising over 2,400 wells, 5,000km of gathering lines, four water treatment plants, eight gas processing plants, and 15 compression stations.
Factors associated with CSG activities that could lead to potential hazards, such as chemicals, air emissions, noise, light and dust were identified and appraised. Existing data related to these factors was screened to determine whether any factors would require in-depth assessment.
Australia Pacific LNG’s upstream operator Origin, and Shell’s operator QGC supplied data on their activities. Researchers also accessed Queensland Government data sets. This information related to drilling and workover operations for the wells, detailed data for the 67 wells in the study area that were subjected to hydraulic fracturing, and data relating to water treatment, gas processing, and flaring operations.
The study found that for the majority of factors, there was no plausible pathway to impact human health.
Noise and light emissions from CSG activities do not pose a hazard to physical health in the study site. Chemical factors associated with air emissions from CSG activities were within relevant health-based air quality objectives.
Of the 97 unique chemical factors used in CSG drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations:
- 72 chemical factors were assessed and found to have low hazard potential to human health at the study site
- 25 chemical factors (in eight groups) warrant further in-depth assessment. Based on the available evidence, none of these chemicals were found to represent an acute hazard to human health in the study site
A CSIRO extension study examined the microbial degradation of these groups of chemical factors in soil and aquifer samples and found that four chemical groups degraded readily in soils within days, and more slowly in aquifer samples.
While the study found that for the majority of factors there was no plausible pathway to impact human health, it determined further in-depth assessment of a small number of identified factors was required.
As a result, two new CSIRO research projects are now underway and will conduct further in-depth studies focussing on eight groups of chemical factors.
The research was governed through CSIRO’s Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance (GISERA).
GISERA is an alliance led by CSIRO and is a collaboration between CSIRO, Federal, State and Territory Governments and industry with the purpose of working with the community to undertake research about the potential or actual impacts of gas development, across major environmental and socio-economic topics.
The study was funded primarily by the Queensland (59 per cent) and Federal Governments (21 per cent) and CSIRO (18 per cent). GISERA industry partners APLNG and QGC each provided one per cent in funding and also made available operational data.
CSIRO Energy Resources Research Director and GISERA Director, Dr Damian Barrett, said the study provided forensic information about the potential hazards to affect human health from CSG activities in the Surat Basin.
“The value of this exhaustive study is that it provides certainty about where we need to focus further research,” Dr Barrett said.
“By ruling out factors of no concern we ensure cost-effective and targeted use of research resources to zero in on chemical factors with a possible pathway for potential impact on human health.
“CSIRO is already taking the next steps to look more closely at these eight groups of chemical factors where a potential pathway can’t be ruled out or more information is needed.”
Featured image: Testing equipment at the Surat Basin, Queensland. Image: CSIRO.
