Coal Seam Gas is developing at a gallop, while groundwater scientists are still at the starter's gate.
That was the view of scientists and engineers at a CSG forum at NSW Parliament House this week.
A panel of speakers outlined a raft of concerns about the impact on groundwater, and the lack of thorough monitoring.
Dr Phillip Pells, a civil engineer specialising in groundwater impacts, says he does most of his work pro-bono for community groups, to remain independent, although he does do paid work for mining companies.
“My biggest concern is the pace of the expansion, because the coal seam gas impact on the groundwater system is no different to the impact by underground coal mining. The difference is in the pace," he said.
"Underground coal mining began in Wollongong back in early 1900s and took the best part of 150 years to move halfway to Picton.
"We are covering bigger areas than that of coal seam gas in a matter of a couple of years nowadays and over vast areas of NSW potentially.
“The physical result of drilling through to water under pressure, it comes up to the surface. But it’s not the big issue.
"The big issue is pumping the water out in order to get the coal seam gas to flow. One has to pump all the water out at coal seam level, which may be one to half a kilometres under the surface, in order to get the gas to flow.
"And that’s the same effect as creating a void underneath there, in terms of the groundwater. So groundwater that previously flowed off towards the sea now decides it can go vertically downwards.
"Like Newton’s apple, it didn’t go sideways, chose to go downwards. The groundwater will go downwards."
He is one who agrees the approval process should slow down.
"I think the government and the authorities should divide up areas of NSW that are likely to be minor or insignificant, both because of the geology and the land use above, then (for) those areas that are to be significant and the land use is very sensitive, the land use should be put at the bottom of the pile, and approach the industry slowly in small bites.
"And we should learn from our small developments, before we let loose on a full-blooded massive industry."
Dr Pells says the Pilliga is one area that has seen the rapid and massive expansion.
"We’ve gone from 41 wells to 850 wells and the 41 went in over a period of a decade, with different operators, and the early operators were not very careful about what they put in.
"The current operator, Santos, has probably only put in less than half of those wells and yet has been given apparently approval or MOU for the 850-well project, covering a massive area.”
He questions the quality of the work available online about the aquifer.
“That wasn’t very high quality work or if it was it wasn’t made public. What is published on their website is not transparent and cannot be unravelled and is not consistent with Australian guidelines for high quality monitoring.”
Hydrogeologist Andrea Broughton, of Groundwater Solutions International, based in NZ, told the forum that there is little to no baseline data on the physical, chemical or biological nature of the aquifer.
She produced a response for Namoi Water to the Chief Scientist Mary O’Kane’s report on CSG development in NSW.
"Well, the produced water coming from the coal seams themselves, they are in very tight formations, which is why a lot of people do fracking. But in this instance Santos is using horizontal wells instead of fracking. We’re pulling water out from coal seams, where the gas has adhered to the coal.
"It’s there under pressure from the groundwater, positive pressure, so when they depressurise the groundwater, then the gas is drawn off.
"The water there is the same as sea water. It’s 31,000 milligrams (of salt) per litre, very salty. That’s because its sitting in a very reduced environment. It’s been there in the marine situation, since it was deposited."
She says the sedimentary basin is poorly understood.
"I know the NSW Office of Water would require two years worth of monitoring data – physical, chemical and biological properties of that water.
"The natural water levels, temperature, ph, salts, turbidity. And actual organisms and suspended solids, then all the calcium, metals, heavy metals, uranium. It is naturally occurring, but it’s better if it stays hundreds of metres down."