Coal Seam Gas | Standing Council on Energy and Resources

Coal Seam Gas | Standing Council on Energy and Resources:

The National Harmonised Regulatory Framework is a guidance and reference tool for Australian federal, state and territory government regulators for the Coal Seam Gas (CSG) industry. Its purpose is to provide a suite of national and global leading practices to consider and implement in the assessment and ongoing regulation of proposed CSG projects. The draft National Harmonised Regulatory Framework public consultation is open for submissions from 14 December 2012 to 28 February 2013.
All stakeholders are welcome and encouraged to make a written submission.

Sleeping giants square off in gas wars | Perth Now

Sleeping giants square off in gas wars | Perth Now:
 Some of the biggest international energy companies are watching developments very closely, while some, like Mitsubishi Corporation and ConocoPhillips, are already funding the work of local exploration companies, which are themselves takeover targets.

If the proposed gas hub is built at James Price Point, the value of Perth-based Canning Basin explorers Buru Energy and New Standard Energy will soar. Experts say James Price Point would be logical as an export hub for onshore gas producers. Why pipe the gas to the Pilbara when there's a hub on your doorstep?

Premier Colin Barnett acknowledged as much last month when interviewed by The Sunday Times about James Price Point. His vision is for the gas from the Canning Basin to be processed and exported from the precinct, alongside that from the Woodside Petroleum-led joint-venture.

Stars fire up gas hub protest - The West Australian

Stars fire up gas hub protest - The West Australian: More than 10,000 people marched through Fremantle yesterday in a pre-election protest over the planned Kimberley gas hub.

Missy Higgins, John Butler and Bob Brown in Fremantle yesterday. Picture: Sharon Smith/The West Australian

The Concert for the Kimberley event starred Fremantle-raised roots star John Butler.

He was joined on stage by fellow gas hub opponent Missy Higgins and other protesters against the James Price Point development near Broome.

Butler said the strong turnout indicated the anti-hub campaign remained a key State and Federal election issue.

"The last thing any of us want is the world's largest gas plant being built on that site," the singer said. "This is on par with mining Uluru or drilling the Great Barrier Reef - this is one of the nation's natural treasures."

Higgins, who lives in Broome part-time, said the project had divided the community.

"I really feel like our generation is going to regret it if we lose this," she said.

"It's been very divisive for the community. That's been one of the most heartbreaking things."

Colin Barnett was labelled a "thief" and an "eco-cidal maniac", while others backed a more direct call to action with "arrest Barnett".

Gas hub protest campaign travels south | The Australian

Musician John Butler in Perth yesterday with Phil Roe, a lawman of the Goolarabooloo people. 'I as an Australian citizen have a duty to protect these things' Picture: Marie Nirme Source: The Australian

Gas hub protest campaign travels south | The Australian:
THE campaign against Western Australia's most contentious resources project has moved more than 2000km south, to Premier Colin Barnett's doorstep.

Tomorrow's free Concert for the Kimberley has been timed for maximum impact ahead of the March 9 state election, with thousands expected to attend at the port of Fremantle.


Live music will be punctuated by speeches against Woodside's proposed $40 billion gas hub by former Greens leader Bob Brown and the WA Wilderness Society's state co-ordinator Peter Robertson.

"This rally could well prove a turning point in the campaign against the gas hub at James Price Point," Mr Robertson said.

John Butler, Missy Higgins and Ball Park Music will perform as the crowd is invited to send protest emails to state political candidates from their phones via a qr code generator.

A fracking question - what's behind NSW's changed CSG policy? - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

A fracking question - what's behind NSW's changed CSG policy? - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation):
Back-benchers in the NSW Government have won important concessions blocking coal seam gas extraction in residential and critical industry clusters. The policy back-flip is a win for environmental campaigners, but poses serious economic questions for the wider industry.

e timor mulls dumping australia's woodside - www.thebull.com.au

e timor mulls dumping australia's woodside - www.thebull.com.au:
Casting aside Woodside's $US20 billion ($A19.62 billion) investment would also mean revenues are not split with Australia.

The Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea (CMATS) signed by Australia and East Timor came into effect in February 2007, setting a deadline of Saturday for the two sides to agree on how to process the gas.

"Maybe we'll decide (to process the gas) unilaterally but we have to decide with the foreign affairs (ministry) of Australia," Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Alfredo Pires told reporters on Thursday.

Woodside boss Peter Coleman upbeat about Browse LNG plant | The Australian

Woodside boss Peter Coleman upbeat about Browse LNG plant | The Australian:
It is believed the prospect of floating LNG has not been discussed by the Browse joint venture, whose retention lease conditions bind it to making a decision on processing the gas through a plant at James Price Point before looking at other options.

"Browse doesn't need a technology breakthrough, this is a cost and execution challenge," Mr Coleman said. "The challenge for the JV is to look at the cost and schedule we've just given them, they'll run through their own process and we'll meet back in a couple of months."

Under previous retention lease conditions imposed by the WA and federal governments, the Browse joint venture had been ordered to evaluate James Price Point by mid-2012.

Tony Burke is called upon to call a PUBLIC INQUIRY

One more way for you to help the Broome Community ‘no gas’ Campaign:  Help get signatures on the Petition to Tony Burke, Federal Minister for the Environment, which asks him to hold a Public Inquiry into the assessment of the LNG Precinct at James Price Point. The BCNG Campaign is extremely concerned about the State Government processes to date;  we have not had an opportunity to express our views about this project, and we are really worried about the social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts on Broome. We need to tell Tony Burke to hold a PUBLIC INQUIRY  into how this project has been assessed by the State Government.

This is not an online petition it requires people to sign the petition, send the signed copies to us and we will have them tabled in the Federal Parliament in the House of Representatives.

BACKGROUND

The Commonwealth State Strategic Assessment Agreement –Relating to the assessment of the impacts of actions under the Plan for the Browse Basin Common User Liquefied Natural Gas Hub Precinct and associated activities- was signed 6th February, 2008. 

The State Government determined in December 2008 that the precinct would be located at James Price Point-Walmadany. Part of the requirements of the Strategic Assessment included investigation and report by the State Government into alternative options for LNG processing outside the Kimberley (piping to the Pilbara; piping to Darwin; Floating LNG or not doing it all). 

The State Government has not done this, relying instead on a Commonwealth report. Further it can be argued that Traditional Owners have not given informed consent and the community consultation within the Broome community has been extremely poor.

Under the EPBC Act the Minister for Environment can establish a public inquiry; this is not the case where a Strategic Assessment Agreement is in place, however given the above, it may be that the Agreement is invalid or flawed and therefore the Minister may have the capacity to hold a Public Inquiry. 

This petition will require the Minister to determine if the Agreement terms have been met and then consider whether a Public Inquiry should be established.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO GET THIS PETITION SIGNED:

Photocopy the petition page and take it round your friends and workplaces. People who sign the petition need to write their name, address and signature. This information will not be used for any other purpose. Only original signatures on the petition as written will be accepted.

Please send signed pages to:

BROOME COMMUNITY NO GAS CAMPAIGN

C/- P.O. BOX 1232 BROOME WA 6725

And mark the envelope ‘PETITION’

All signed pages will be forwarded to the House of Representatives to be tabled in Parliament, date to be advised.  If you have any queries in relation to this petition pls email info@broomenogas.org

   PETITION Minister Burke Public Inquiry Kimberley LNG James Price Point EPBCAct 17feb2013(1) by   redhanded8937

Shell says no need to rush Australia Gorgon LNG expansion | Reuters

Shell says no need to rush Australia Gorgon LNG expansion | Reuters:
FLOATING LNG TO SPEED UP TAX REVENUES

Floating LNG plants offer a lower-cost solution for developing Australian gas, Pickard added.

"The lower the capex, the faster you are into a tax-paying position," she said. "Floating is actually very good for the federal government in terms of getting the tax revenues out faster and quicker."

Shell is regarded as the frontrunner in developing floating LNG platforms and expects to bring online by 2017 the world's first floating LNG plant, Australia's Prelude LNG, which will generate A$12 billion in tax revenues.

Shell recently upped its stake in Woodside's Browse LNG development, a move that may signal the project will move forward as a floating LNG plant rather than a land-based plant, according to industry insiders and analysts.

Woodside now faces a mid-2013 deadline to decide if it will move forward with building an onshore LNG plant at James Price Point in northwestern Australia.

The James Price Point location has drawn criticism from groups who say it will cause damage to Aboriginal sites and to the environment, and some industry analysts say building an onshore plant may be uneconomic.

Coastal boom threatens rare Australian river dolphin - Australian Geographic

Coastal boom threatens rare Australian river dolphin - Australian Geographic:

A POPULATION OF a rare and little-understood dolphin living in Queensland's Fitzroy River is threatened by development, says experts calling for them to be better protected.

The Australian snubfin dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni) was only recognised as a separate species in 2005, having been previously confused with the Irrawaddy River dolphin of south-east Asia.

Its rounded forehead and small dorsal fin make the animal unique. It is found from Broome, WA, around the north of Australia to the Fitzroy River, QLD, which is its most southern extent.

Woodside adamant $1.1bn spend in Israel no bar to local projects | The Australian

Woodside adamant $1.1bn spend in Israel no bar to local projects | The Australian:
Macquarie Equities analyst Adrian Wood said it appeared that Leviathan had now "leapfrogged" the Australian projects given Woodside was planning spending of $US1.1bn on the Israeli LNG development this year.

But Mr Coleman denied this, saying Woodside was also moving forward with Browse, Sunrise and the Pluto expansion and it was natural to have projects in various phases of development.

He said Browse was on track for a final investment decision by June 30, and Woodside had recently started sharing cost estimates with its joint venture partners Shell, BP and MIMI.

Most analysts expect Woodside and its partners to abandon the option of building an LNG plant at James Price Point and to begin studying the viability of processing the Browse gas through a floating LNG facility using technology being pioneered by Shell.

Woodside said this year's capex estimate, which will be dominated by the Leviathan investment, did not include any spending that may be made on Browse.

He said Woodside was taking "significant steps" to drive down the costs of building LNG projects, in yet another sign that the cost of building Browse as an onshore development could be prohibitive. Woodside's exploration spend in "mature" regions would drop from 73 per cent to 50 per cent in coming years.

Red Dirt Dreaming Part One - The Kimberley - 360documentaries - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Red Dirt Dreaming Part One - The Kimberley - 360documentaries - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation):

• Listen now
• Download audio

Broadcast:

Sunday 24 February 2013 10:05AM (view full episode)

 

The West Kimberley is rich in natural resources – bauxite, nickel, copper, oil, uranium, coal and gas and mining exploration has increased 500% in the past five years. It’s feared the proposed development at James Price Point will be the “thin end of the wedge”; that the infrastructure will open up one of the world’s most pristine wildernesses to resource development.

Red Dirt Dreaming encapsulates all the conflict and complexity of resource extraction versus environment, community and economic independence for Aboriginal people.

A Message to Woodside executives Peter Coleman and Vince Santostefano, from the Broome Community

Woodside,  “We have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.”
 
We, the Broome community and surrounding communities, have before us an ordeal of the most grievous and kind. 

 
We have behind and more before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? We say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that Country can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim?

 We can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.

Let that be realised, Woodside; no survival for the Broome community, no survival for all that the Broome community has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal. But we will all take up our task with buoyancy and hope. We feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among people. At this time we feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and we all say, “come then, let us go forward together with our united strength. Woodside, enter dune country at your peril.

Follow the leader - but where to?

Follow the leader - but where to?:
MARTIN Luther King had a dream. Winston Churchill had blood, sweat and tears. Ronald Reagan declared it was morning again in America. Marie Curie pioneered the study of radioactivity. Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear.

What do all these immortals have in common? They have been privileged enough to share space with two other great leaders, Woodside executives Peter Coleman and Vince Santostefano, on giant banners dominating the foyer of the gas producer's Perth headquarters.

Each enormous placard features an inspirational quote, designed no doubt to provoke Woodside's employees to ever higher peaks of achievement. For example, Curie's poster quotes her as saying: ''The way of progress is neither swift nor easy.'' That's something those working on Woodside's gargantuan Browse project or its pantagruelian Sunrise field would already know.

 Even the Financial Review had something to say about Woodside Executive Peter Coleman's cringeworthy megalomania.

Coal Seam Gas development angers opponents | Video & TV News Clips | SBS World News

Coal Seam Gas development angers opponents | Video & TV News Clips | SBS World News:
 The federal government has approved stage one of a major Coal Seam Gas development near Newcastle in New South Wales. Opponents of coal seam gas have reacted with anger. Further north, applications to prospect are still being considered. In the Northern Rivers region, activists are gearing up for a fight with an opponent many didn't expect. The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council wants to prospect for gas in the area.

Royalties for Regions money sponsors fracking exploration

Industry tells us their practices are safe, but fracking wells have already started leaking pollution in Western Australia.

Last year, gas started bubbling up through the Corybas well, just south of Dongara.  It is not surprising. Last year an independent study by Cornell University found that 6-7% of fracked wells were leaking into water aquifers within a year of drilling.  With estimates suggesting that WA could see 130,000 wells, that is a scary statistic. Because once our groundwater is polluted, it will be forever.

Our water is too precious to lose.  That’s why we’ve launched our new campaign, Clean Water Healthy Land, to tell our politicians that it’s time to take control of gas fracking before it’s too late. Email your local state election candidates at cleanwaterhealthyland.org.au/action


Currently, instead of protecting us from this industry, the state government has halved the royalties for gas fracking companies, used Royalties for Regions money to sponsor fracking exploration, and failed to ensure that the Environmental Protection Authority assesses projects – instead placing control over projects in the hands of the deeply conflicted Department of Mines and Petroleum.

With encouragement like this, fracking will soon be pockmarking the landscapes we love. Indeed, the pristine Kimberley, the Ningaloo coast, and the farming districts and wildflower country in the Midwest are considered the most prospective gasfields in WA.

Tell your local candidates it’s time to stand up for Western Australia, not the gas frackers. Write to your candidates at cleanwaterhealthyland.org.au/action
Feel like you’d like to know more about shale gas fracking? Shale gas is extracted from deep rock bodies by fracturing (‘fracking’) them, by pumping a mixture of chemicals, sand and vast amounts of water at high pressure to unlock the gas. Find out more at our website.

Climate and Energy Program CCWA
P.S. Western Australians know how precious our groundwater is – is your groundwater at risk from fracking? Ask your local candidates in the state election what they’re doing to protect you at our new website, cleanwaterhealthyland.org.au/action

Direct Action used by blockaders in New South Wales | Frack Off

Direct Action used by blockaders in New South Wales | Frack Off:

Blockades and actions across Australia are enjoying high levels of community support.



Numbers alone are not necessarily enough. But adding direct action tactics to a well informed, challenging and potentially disobedient crowd create major headaches for the drillers and the authorities.

Fossil Fuels ‘May Prove Worthless’ - Truthdig

Fossil Fuels ‘May Prove Worthless’ - Truthdig:Asset stranding is currently little understood, but the implications are potentially very significant. 

The former MP John Gummer, now Lord Deben, chairs the Committee on Climate Change, an independent group which advises the UK Government. Speaking at the School, he stressed the need for businesses and policy makers to adapt to the new economic landscape

He said: “Investors continue to deploy hundreds of billions of pounds into polluting and unsustainable sectors. In many cases these investments will not be worth what investors think.


“Climate change, scarcer resources and new disruptive technologies will reduce value and strand assets. If investors better understand the risks of investing in these assets they will be attracted to greener alternatives and see them as better business propositions and safer places for their funds.”

Professor Gordon Clark, director of the Smith School, said: “We are looking at how changes in regulation, pricing, technology, society and climate could be a risk to a range of polluting assets.. Our new programme is creating a critically important space for these issues to be understood and for appropriate responses to be developed.”

When you spin the spin the spin is spun

Woodside's Perth Office front windows

For Woodside to stoop to such depraved measures in their new PR campaign shows clear signs of a company whose brand is no longer convincing or trusted. For Peter Coleman to put himself up alongside the great visionaries of our history stoops to an egotistical maniac. 

The delusions of grandeur that obviously Peter is clearly suffering from is tainted with the messiah syndrome given the fact that he is claiming to be doing it all in our best interests.

Woodside will never be granted their social licence to operate and if they have not got this message loud and clear then they are either deaf, dumb and blind.   To claim ownership and treating community as a commodity is steeped in arrogance and ignorance. If this new PR campaign by Woodside is to win the hearts and minds of people then Woodside first needs to mend the broken hearts and tormented minds they have created since they have invaded our small community, of Broome.If Woodside claims that they are integrating into a community then why do they find it necessary to incarcerate their workers in fortified enclaves and have security drones to ensure their safety. 

Peter, if you wish to place yourself in the high echelons of history Redhand suggests that you leave this incomprehensibly dangerous proposal and see it for what it is, a very bad idea. Only when you pull the plug will you gain the type of credibility you so desire. History will only remember you if you did this otherwise you will be seen for what you are, a corporate whore.

Environmental 'failings' spark Gladstone port probe as dolphins depart | The Australian

Environmental 'failings' spark Gladstone port probe as dolphins depart | The Australian:
AUSTRALIA'S most environmentally controversial project, the $33 billion expansion of Gladstone port in Queensland, is under investigation after being accused of breaching strict federal government audit conditions on harbour dredging and dumping of spoils in a World Heritage area. 

Many questions remain about whether the Gladstone Port expansion has met its environmental obligations. Sick fish, dead dolphins and dugongs and five-legged frogs are signs that something has gone wrong.

Four giant liquefied natural gas processing facilities are being built on Curtis Island in Gladstone Harbour. 

Picture: Vanessa Hunter Source: The Australian

There are conflicting scientific reports about what has happened. A government funded report blamed record floods in 2011 that put tonnes of injured barramundi into the environment. But an investigation by veterinarian Matt Landos said: "The distribution of disease in Gladstone Harbour is consistent with the distribution of re-suspended sediments from dredging and disposal."

He said the alternative view that flooding had caused the fish disease was "scientifically unsupportable".