APPEA: Govenment’s gas strategy a positive step

The Domestic Gas Strategy released by the Australian Government is welcome recognition of the importance of unconventional gas production to the nation’s energy mix and economic prosperity.

APPEA Acting Chief Executive Paul Fennelly said: “Unconventional gas, including natural gas from coal seams, accounts for 40 percent of production in the eastern Australian gas market. It also contributes significantly to our export market as Australia remains on track to be the world’s biggest exporter of LNG by the end of the decade.”

Fennelly said the government’s commitment to provide communities with more information about how industry is regulated as well as research undertaken by reputable government agencies such as the CSIRO and Geoscience Australia, is a positive step forward.

He said: “Industry will also continue to do more to inform communities about the science and technology that is driving significant investment in rural Australia and underpinning a world-class industry.”

Fennelly noted that the results of greater community interaction can be seen in Queensland where ongoing community consultation has led to a significant understanding of resource operations.

As the Productivity Commission recently found, scientific evidence shows that the technical challenges and risks posed by gas development can be managed through a well-designed regulatory regime, concludes Fennelly.

[mappress mapid=”17096″]