The Draft National Harmonised Regulatory Framework
Coal Seam Gas
Introduction
Standing Council on Energy and Resources
Stakeholders
•SCER Ministers
•CSG Steering Group
•Water Agencies
•Stakeholder Reference Group
Consultants
•Norton Rose
•SKM
Work program
1. Well integrity and
aquifer protection;
2. Water management
and monitoring;
3. Hydraulic fracturing;
and
4. Chemical use.
Eighteen leading practices and four overarching
1. Undertake comprehensive environmental impact assessments,
including but not limited to, rigorous chemical, health and safety
and water risk assessments
2. To develop and implement comprehensive environmental
management plans which demonstrate that environmental
impacts and risks will be as low as reasonably practicable
3. Apply a hierarchy of risk control measures to all aspects of the
CSG project
4. Verification of key system elements, including well design, water
management and hydraulic fracturing processes, by a suitably
qualified and authorised person
Well integrity
5. Apply strong governance, robust safety practices
and high design, construction, operation,
maintenance and decommissioning standards for
well development
6. Require independent supervision of well
construction
7. Ensure the provision and installation of blowout
preventers informed by a risk assessment
Source: NSW Government (2012).
Water Management and Monitoring
8. Use baseline and ongoing monitoring for all vulnerable
water resources
9. Manage cumulative impacts on water through regionalscale assessments
10.Ensure co-produced water volumes are accounted for and
managed
11.Maximise the recycling of co-produced water for beneficial
use, including managed aquifer recharge and virtual
reinjection
Hydraulic Fracturing
12.Require a geological assessment
as part of well development and
hydraulic fracturing planning
processes
13.Require process monitoring and
quality control during hydraulic
fracturing activity
JuneWarren-Nickles Energy Group
Chemical Use
14.Handle, manage, store and transport chemicals in
accordance with Australian legislation, codes and
standards
15.Minimise chemical use and use environmentally benign
alternatives
16.Minimise the time between cessation of hydraulic
fracturing and flow back, and maximise the rate of
recovery of fracturing fluids
17.Increase transparency in chemical assessment processes
and require full disclosure of chemicals used in CSG
activities by the operator
18.Undertake assessments of the combined effects of
chemical mixtures, in line with Australian legislation and
internationally accepted testing methodologies
Timeline
SCER
Endorsement
• 14 December
Consultation
and
submission
• 14 December 2012
to Thursday 28
February 2013
SCER
Agreement
• Mid
2013