Origin Energy pleads guilty to releasing contaminated coal seam gas water

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This was published 1 year ago

Origin Energy pleads guilty to releasing contaminated coal seam gas water

By Zach Hope

Origin Energy has pleaded guilty to releasing almost 800,000 litres of polluted water from its coal seam gas operations in Queensland’s Western Downs region, about 400 kilometres north-west of Brisbane.

The energy giant was fined $60,000 in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on July 15 for two unauthorised releases of “CSG-contaminated” water in early 2020 near the town of Wandoan.

The overflows of coal seam gas water happened about 25 kilometres north-east of Wandoan.

The overflows of coal seam gas water happened about 25 kilometres north-east of Wandoan.Credit: Queensland Department of Environment and Science

The water overflowed from coal seam gas tanks after heavy rain and ran into a nearby waterway, according to a statement from the Department of Environment and Science. It also damaged a nearby landholder’s dam used by stock.

The offending revealed by Brisbane Times presented a branding challenge for an organisation and industry desperate to project images of environmental wholesomeness.

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The Queensland government chose not to announce the department’s successful prosecution. This is despite issuing four press releases – detailing lesser offences by smaller entities – within days of the Origin court case.

One of them was about a man fined $551 for environmental vandalism. Another was about a “clean-up notice” handed to a Gold Coast waste management company for leaking contaminants into a creek after a fire.

Origin operates the Surat and Bowen basin coal seam gas assets owned by the $25 billion Australia Pacific LNG project and is a major player in plans to extract gas from the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin.

The company is also pivotal in the Palaszczuk government’s plans to establish Queensland at the forefront of the emerging hydrogen energy industry.

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After questions from Brisbane Times, Origin apologised to the community and said it self-reported the Wandoan CSG incidents at the time, noting both sites had been remediated under a formal notice from the Queensland department.

Origin Energy apologised for the unauthorised releases of almost 800,000 litres of contaminated water.

Origin Energy apologised for the unauthorised releases of almost 800,000 litres of contaminated water.Credit: Queensland Department of Environment and Science

“Temporary panel tanks were being removed by a contractor from two pilot drilling sites when a series of greater than expected rainfall events occurred, causing rainwater and residual sediment containing an elevated salt content to spread to the surrounding soil,” it said in a statement.

“Origin regrets and apologises for what occurred. We strive to operate responsibly and safely and meet every requirement of the environmental approvals we operate under.”

Australia Pacific LNG and company BeneTerra are also set to appear in a Dalby court this month.

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A statement from the department said about 339,000 litres were released at one site and spread over more than 2000 square metres of land. At the other site, about 450,000 litres were released across 700 square metres.

As a result, Origin was charged with two offences of contravening a condition of an environmental authority.

“We have co-operated fully with the department on a timely and transparent basis throughout, the lessons learned resulting in genuine improvement to our procedures now and into the future,” the company said.

“We fully support that a portion of the penalty imposed was paid by way of public benefit order which the department can use to fund projects to restore or enhance the environment.”

No individuals within Origin faced separate prosecutions.

The government also did not announce a $57,000 fine handed to Rio Tinto last month for a 2020 chemical leak at an alumina refinery near Gladstone.

The case was covered by a local ABC bureau.

The miner is another business partner of the Palaszczuk government.

clarification

An earlier version of this story said Origin had not gone public with the offending in 2020, or after its guilty plea in July. While the company made no announcements, such as press releases, it did make brief reference to the incidents in two sustainability reports. Brisbane Times had asked Origin about its disclosures, but the company chose not to answer the specific question in a response provided before publication of the article. 

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