Air, water and soil impacts of hydraulic fracturing, Phase 1
This intensive monitoring campaign will measure the air, water and soil impacts of hydraulic fracturing of production wells in the Surat Basin.
This project will result in a report summarising the current state of knowledge regarding sources of air, water and soil pollutants associated with CSG extraction using hydraulic fracturing, a peer-reviewed design for a measurement program that will provide enhanced information of the impacts of hydraulic fracturing, and a report presenting an analysis of air, water and soil quality before commencement of hydraulic fracturing activity.
Scientist taking measurements in the field
Reports and journals
Pre-hydraulic fracturing water quality data summary
This report provides a collation of water quality and soil monitoring data collected at two locations in the Surat Basin, Queensland. It gives some preliminary interpretation of monitoring data from groundwater and surface water samples to provide information on baseline water quality before the commencement of hydraulic fracturing (HF) in the area. The datasets will be used as an aid to interpret the results generated by the main part of the study (Phase 2).
Measurements of VOCs by passive Radiello sampling at a hydraulic fracturing site in the Surat Basin, Queensland
This report details findings of a study of the ambient concentrations of a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), aldehydes and hydrogen sulphide which was undertaken at a site within a region of intensive coal seam gas (CSG) production in the Surat Basin in Queensland from October 2016 to September 2017. Samples were collected at 7 locations within a property where 18 CSG wells underwent Hydraulic Fracturing (HF) treatments in late 2016 and mid-2017.
Water and soil monitoring plan
This report outlines a water and soil monitoring plan which underpins a study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on air, soil and water quality in the vicinity of coal seam gas well sites.
Design of a study to assess the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on air quality in the vicinity of well sites in the Surat Basin, Queensland.
This report presents a methodology for an air quality study to investigate the impacts of hydraulic fracturing activities on local air quality in the vicinity of hydraulic fracturing operations. The methodology comprises a suite of measurements of atmospheric gaseous and particle species to be undertaken before, during and after hydraulic fracturing at a selected site in the Surat Basin.
The aim of the proposed methodology is to satisfy the overall study objectives:
- Objective 1: Quantify enhancements in air pollutant levels above background that occur during hydraulic fracturing operations.
- Objective 2: Provide information on the contribution of hydraulic fracturing and non-hydraulic fracturing-related sources of air pollutants to local air quality at the selected study site.
- Objective 3: Provide comparisons of the air quality observed at a hydraulic fracturing site with Australian federal and state air quality objectives, as well as data from other air quality studies undertaken in areas not directly impacted by hydraulic fracturing operations both within the Surat Basin and in other locations in Australia.
Combabula site familiarisation visit
This report describes a site familiarisation visit to a property in Combabula, QLD. This activity was part of a study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on air, soil and water quality in the vicinity of coal seam gas well sites.
Project progress
This project is complete.
Project proposal
A detailed description of the project, budget and research milestones.
