Regional methane emissions in NSW CSG basins
This project has identified and quantified methane emission sources such as CSG infrastructure, feedlots, coal mining, legacy bore holes in the Pilliga region.
This research has resulted in a detailed understanding of methane emissions for the Pilliga region that can be used to compare emissions once large-scale gas extraction starts.
Reports and papers
Regional Methane Emissions in NSW CSG Basins - Final
This is the final report for the GISERA project ‘Regional methane emissions in NSW CSG basins’. This report combined current and previous mobile survey in the Pilliga forest and Narrabri region to quantify the current background levels of methane in the study area. The result of this study indicates that the ambient methane concentrations are mostly similar to background concentrations observed in undisturbed areas with no sources of anthropogenic methane. It is now considered reasonably likely that most of the large point source methane emitters in the region have already been identified. However, the distribution and magnitude of other more widely diffuse sources such as agriculture, boreholes and natural seeps are less well understood.
Regional Methane Emissions in NSW CSG Basins - Interim
Identification and quantification of the main methane sources within the Pilliga/Narrabri region is being conducted using ground based methods developed during the earlier work undertaken in the Surat Basin in Queensland. A second component of the project is aimed at investigating a new satellite sensor specifically designed for measuring methane, which has the potential to be applied across Australian CSG sites for ongoing monitoring.
Extras
New NSW study to understand background methane emissions sources
Project Progress
This project is complete.
Project proposal
A detailed description of the project, budget and research milestones.
GISERA related research
This project will detect and measure methane seeping from underground in the Surat Basin, and identify sources of methane to provide a baseline of methane emissions on a regional scale.