Western Australia Clears Misinformation About Shale, Tight Gas
Western Australia’s leading petroleum expert used last week’s APPEA Conference and Exhibition in Brisbane to address misinformation relating to Western Australia’s (WA’s) emerging shale and tight gas sector.
Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) Petroleum Executive Director Bill Tinapple told the gathering the department would continue to provide correct and up-to-date information regarding the sector, following the ongoing circulation of inaccurate information by activist groups, the state government said in a statement.
“While we recognise the important contribution activist groups make to public policy debates, it’s disappointing some organisations do not always cite factual and reliable information in relation to this matter,” said Tinapple.
Some of the inaccurate claims include describing the fluid used in hydraulic fracturing (fraccing) as a ‘toxic chemical cocktail’ kept hidden from the public, and that fraccing causes health issues and contaminates water aquifers, the statement said.
It has also been falsely stated that 130,000 onshore shale wells will be developed in WA.
“This figure is extremely misleading as, based on current infrastructure and equipment availability, it would take WA more than 1000 years and $1.3 trillion to complete this number of wells,” Tinapple said, who added he thought it was important the public knew fraccing first occurred in WA in 1958.
“Since 1958, 780 wells have safely undergone this gas extraction process with no adverse effects on the environment, water sources or peoples’ health,” said Tinapple.
“WA’s rigorous regulatory framework for petroleum activities, including fraccing, has the strongest chemical disclosure requirements of any Australian jurisdiction, as well as rigorous environmental and safety approval processes and international standards for well design and integrity.
“Despite what has been claimed – all the chemicals used in fraccing in WA must be disclosed.”
Currently, there are no applications for fraccing projects submitted to the department, which expects the shale and tight sector to remain in its early exploration and proof of concept phase for at least the next few years, the government said.
“This early exploration and proof of concept phase means we have time to learn from other jurisdictions, work with communities, incorporate latest information and technology and ensure our regulations are robust and leading practice,” said Tinapple.
“Looking to the future, we would expect any shale or tight gas project to operate in compliance with the law and with respect for the interests of Western Australian communities.”