GLNG Welcomes QWC Report (Australia)

Santos GLNG welcomed the release of the Queensland Water Commission’s (QWC) Underground Water Impact Report today which confirms the detailed studies already undertaken by Santos GLNG.

The QWC report confirms the impact of Santos GLNG’s operations will be minimal and manageable and that almost all of the landholder bores within our operating areas will not be adversely impacted.

Santos GLNG has implemented a state-of-the-art water monitoring system which detects any potential impacts early and has a comprehensive water management plan to mitigate any impacts.

Further, the QWC work does not include the water management programs Santos GLNG is already undertaking, including a project with URS and CSIRO to reinject treated water from coal seams to top-up Roma’s town water supply with around 50 years of supply.

Attending the official launch of the QWC Report today in Toowoomba, President Santos GLNG Mark Macfarlane said that even though there would be a minimal impact in Santos GLNG’s areas of operations, he understood the need for communities to have comprehensive information about what was happening in their water system.

“Santos GLNG is proud to lead the industry in its water management and monitoring activities,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“We started the rollout of our state-of-the-art water monitoring program in 2010 and already we monitor more than 100 surface and groundwater locations within our gas field operations.”

In an industry first, this water monitoring information is publicly available through the Santos GLNG Water Portal – www.santoswaterportal.com.au.

Mr Macfarlane said Santos GLNG was also conducting a pilot with a group of landholders providing them with the tools to tap into real-time data on water levels occurring within their water bores.

“Through our comprehensive water management program, Santos GLNG is well advanced in implementing many of the QWC Report monitoring requirements and plans are already in place to rollout the remaining,” Mr Macfarlane said.

Santos GLNG will commence discussions with the three potentially impacted landholders in the immediate and future affected areas to plan and conduct further investigations as to whether the water level drawdown might impact on the ability of their bores to produce water.

If it is assessed that any impact on water supply availability is likely to occur, we will discuss and agree options to address any impacts on their water supply.

These options may include activities such as deepening a bore pump or replacing a bore.

Mr Macfarlane said Santos GLNG would ensure that no landholders’ groundwater water supply was adversely impacted due to activities conducted by the Project.

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LNG World News Staff, May 17, 2012