Conference Calendar
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CONFERENCE DAY ONE
Monday 17 June 2013
9.00 Welcome from Chairperson
REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS
9.10 Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mines
- Outlining the regulatory role of the committee, who will be reviewing coal seam gas proposals and large coal mining developments and their potential impact on water resources when referred by the Commonwealth and state regulators
Suzy Nethercott-Watson, First Assistant Secretary, Office of Water Science
9.50 The Importance of the IESC in Developing a National CSG Water Strategy
- Analysing the scientific methodology behind the work of the Independent Committee
- Looking at how the Committee’s advice and the types of advice that is expected to substantially improve the collective scientific understanding of the water related impacts of coal seam gas and coal mining developments through a transparent process that builds public confidence
Peter Baker, Principal Science Adviser, Office of Water Science
10.30 Morning tea
11.00 Greentape Reduction Initiatives
- This paper will outline the Greentape Reduction Act as well as other Greentape Reduction initiatives being undertaken by the department of Environment and Heritage Protection, specific to the CSG sector
Elisa Nichols, A/Executive Director, Reform and Innovation - Environmental Policy and Planning, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
11.40 NSW Regulatory Developments
- What has been the outcome of the newly implemented groundwater sharing plans, flowing from the COAG water reforms
Senior Representative, NSW Office of Water
12.20 Roundtable:
Analysing the Impact of Federal Regulation on CSG Water Management
- What impact will changes to Federal legislation have on the management of the CSG water industry?
- How can industry and government work together to ensure realistic outcomes are put forward and achieved?
- What impact will Federal regulations have on state authorities?
- Analysing the importance in creating a dialogue between industry, communities and government with regard to these changes
Speakers TBA
1.20 Lunch
MANAGING ASSOCIATED WATER
2.20 Managing the Impacts of CSG Water Extraction in the Surat Basin
The Office of Goundwater Impact Assessment (OGIA) is in the process of overseeing the implementation of arrangements for management of CSG water extraction impacts on groundwater resources in the Surat Basin as set out in the Surat Underground Water Impact Report. OGIA is also carrying out research to improve understanding the groundwater flow system in preparation for an update of the Report in 2015. An update on those activities will be provided.
Randall Cox, General Manager, Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment
3.00 A Systems Approach to Understanding and Managing Impacts of Co-produced Water
The impacts of removal of water to depressurise coal seams for extraction of coal seam gas have been hotly contested. Industry, academics and communities have been debating the nature and severity of impacts. It has proved very difficult to come to consensus. In this talk I propose that this could be improved by the adoption of a systems approach for characterising the water system and any changes associated with coal seam gas extraction.
Prof. Chris Moran, Director - Sustainable Minerals Institute, UQ
3.40 Afternoon tea
4.00 National Groundwater Strategy
- Analysis of the impact of coal seam gas, geothermal, mining and farming activity on groundwater resources to better understand the links between ground-and surface waters, and resolving legal and technical questions over the storage of surplus water in underground aquifers
- Discussing the need frameworks that connect high-level national resource management to the interests of local communities, industries and other users, in a way that makes for rational decisions and sound resource use
Prof. Craig Simmons, Director, National Centre for Groundwater Training and Research
4.40 Minimising the Environmental and Social Impact of CSG on Groundwater Reserves
- There is a lack of baseline data that is publicly available - many bores outside the Condamine Alluvium Groundwater management area have not been monitored. There is a serious lack of confidence by water users that the cumulative impacts are being adequately assessed
- Analyzing the need for a sharing of information and data industry-wide to achieve meaningful monitoring, research into environmental impacts and new technologies
TBA
5.20 Closing remarks from the Chair
5.30 Networking drinks
CONFERENCE DAY TWO
Tuesday 18 June 2013
9.00 Opening remarks from the Chair
WATER MANAGEMENT IN ACTION
9.10 Keynote:
Coal Seam Gas and Water Rights: Challenges, Changes and Opportunities
- Discussing current regulatory arrangements, remaining challenges and further opportunities for improved water management
The Hon Karlene Maywald, Chair, National Water Commission
9.50 Keynote Case Study:
QGC Update - Infrastructure and Water Management
- By mid-2013, QGC will hit capacity of 100ML/day and full capacity expected by the end of the year
- This session will provide an update on the infrastructure development, building and resource management of their water initiatives in order to achieve that result
Jim Scholl, Manager - Water, Queensland Gas Company
10.30 Morning tea
11.00 Case Study:
Woleebee Creek to Glebe Weir Pipeline Project
- The Woleebee Creek to Glebe Weir Pipeline project is a combined pipeline approximately 120km in length that will transport treated CSG water from the QGC Queensland Curtis LNG project for beneficial use by mining and irrigation customers along the pipeline route and in the Dawson Valley Water Supply Scheme
Gillian Haussmann Manager, Project and Business Development, SunWater
MONITORING, TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT
11.40 Murray Darling Basin Plan
- Outline of the potential impact of the Murray Darling Basin Plan, which was signed into law in November 2012 and will affect water availability and affordability in irrigation areas
- Analysing water recovery targets and the impact these will have on future CSG activities
Peter Hyde, Director, Groundwater Planning, Policy & Planning Division, Murray Darling Basin Authority
12.20 Lunch
1.20 Case Study:
Treating Water for Beneficial Use
How a combination of membrane separation technologies is used to treat variable water quality for beneficial use.
Scott Chalmers, Regional Manager, Queensland, Osmoflo
2.00 Regulatory Update - Issues for CSG Water and Brine Processing, Storage and Transportation
- This presentation will examine the latest updates and changes to the regulatory regime governing the processing, storage and transportation of CSG water and brine
- From a contractual perspective, both CSG operators and landholders will also need to consider their responsibilities to each other with respect to proposals to construct and operate such infrastructure across tenements, including possible implications for their environmental authorities, native title agreements and land access agreements
Ben Cansdale, Special Counsel, Clayton Utz
Rebecca Carroll, Partner, Clayton Utz
2.40 Case Study: CSG Water Monitoring
3.20 Closing remarks from the Chair and afternoon tea
