<
https://theconversation.com/huge-gas-fields-under-a-coral-reef-will-a-rejection-on-environmental-grounds-stop-woodsides-browse-project-236145>
"For decades, Australia’s largest independent oil and gas company, Woodside,
has eyed off a prize: the largest known unconventional gas fields in the
nation.
But there’s a problem. The enormous Brecknock, Calliance and Torosa gas fields
are hundreds of kilometres off the coast of Western Australia – buried
underneath pristine coral reefs. To access it, the company would have to drill
more than 50 wells around the Scott Reef system and pipe the gas 900 km along
the ocean floor to a processing plant.
Now Woodside has an even larger problem. The state’s Environmental Protection
Authority is signalling it will reject this A$30 billion project, known as
Browse, which is part of Woodside’s much larger Burrup Hub project.
It would be unusual to see the state authority reject a project of this size –
they’re more commonly approved with conditions. But the authority is clearly
concerned about the potential damage the giant gas project could do. The
project has been mired in controversy, attracting 800 public appeals and more
than 400,000 signatures on a petition against it. Conservationists are elated
at news of the rejection.
Has this project by Australia’s homegrown answer to Big Oil been shut down? Not
quite. The authority has only made a preliminary decision. Woodside has vowed
to keep pushing for a green light – and it has the support of federal Resources
Minister, Madeleine King.
But because these reefs are on an important migration route for endangered
pygmy blue whales, federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek may have to
weigh in.
What happens next will tell us a great deal about who holds sway within the
Albanese government."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
