GasFields Commission and Minister for Resources Tour Surat Basin

The GasFields Commission Queensland (the Commission) and the Minister for Resources – Honourable Scott Stewart MP have toured parts of the Surat Basin to see first-hand how the gas industry is interacting with landholders and regional communities.

The tour centred around meeting with landholders to hear and discuss their concerns and opportunities relating to the gas industry’s development and coexistence in areas of high value and intensive agriculture.

The visit included meetings with a number of private landholders from across the region. The Commission has been engaging with these landholders in recent months, some of whom currently host gas activities and infrastructure, and some who do not.

The conversations covered a broad range of opinions relating to the issues associated with gas industry development and how this interreacts with farming enterprises and practices.

The Minister for Resources commented, “maintaining the gas industry’s social licence and achieving sustainable coexistence with rural landholders and communities is essential for the industry’s continued growth and for the prosperity of regional communities.

“There is always work to be done on improving the level of coexistence between industry and landholders. Open dialogue is what we all strive for as coexistence is crucial for everyone involved in this industry and the Palaszczuk Government is committed to continuing to promote coexistence.”

The tour group then visited parts of Arrow Energy’s $10 billion Surat Gas Project, located south-west of Dalby, together with Arrow Energy CEO Cecile Wake and company representatives.

The final portion on the tour saw the group attend aspects of Shell QGC’s gas project developments in and around Chinchilla, with Shell QGC Vice President Godson Njoku and company representatives.

The group was taken through Shell QGC’s Kenya Water Treatment Plant which processes water produced in the surrounding gas fields for beneficial use within the region.

A/CEO Warwick Squire commented, “the GasFields Commission continues to play a key role in delivering information to landholders to help them understand their rights as they relate to gas development, along with playing a critical role in advising government and other key stakeholders on issues of concern.

“As Queensland’s onshore gas industry continues to flourish, it is incredibly important that the Commission continues to build trust and facilitate transparent and respectful communications and information sharing between all relevant stakeholders.

“The Commission remains committed to addressing landholder concerns relating to the gas industry’s development in areas of high value and intensive agriculture.”

Click to view Commission’s Facebook ‘Ministerial Surat Basin Tour’ Image Gallery.

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Who are the GasFields Commission Queensland?

Established as an independent statutory body in 2013, the Commission’s purpose is to manage and improve the sustainable coexistence of landholders, regional communities and the onshore gas industry in Queensland. The Commission manages sustainable coexistence in petroleum and gas producing regions of Queensland, and will continue to do so as the industry expands into new and emerging basins.

Our vision is to achieve thriving communities in areas of gas development that are free from discord and supported by well-informed, respectful and balanced stakeholder relationships.

One way the Commission is endeavouring to realise this vision is by providing transparency and independent assurances that the onshore gas industry is appropriately regulated and held to account when needed. This in turn will help cultivate sustainable coexistence, whilst ensuring community and landholder confidence in the regulators and gas industry increases.

Drawing on its wealth of experience in the development of the gas industry and by collaborating with other relevant entities, the Commission provides a range of support to communities and landholders, primarily through education and engagement. These education and engagement activities occur with individual landholders via Commission facilitated webinars, information sessions, publications (The Gas Guide, Shared Landscapes Reports), face-to-face meetings and public workshops.

It should be noted that the Commission does not engage in individual negotiations between landholders and gas companies, but rather provides communities and landholders with the information and support they need to make informed decisions and achieve good outcomes.

What does this mean for landholders?

If you’re a landholder in the Surat, Galilee or Bowen basins and wish to know more about what to expect with gas field developments, the GasFields Commission (the Commission) strongly encourages you to download a copy of our flagship publication, The Gas Guide 2.0, to obtain all the information you need to negotiate a fair and reasonable outcome should a resource company request to operate on your land.

Gas Guide 2.0 catalogues pertinent information that landholders need to know about the various stages of petroleum and gas development in Queensland – beginning with the advertisement and awarding of new exploration tenders (see Chapter 3 – Exploration Phase).

If you have any questions regarding the exploration process, Queensland’s onshore gas industry or you would like to receive a hard copy (ring binder) of The Gas Guide 2.0, please contact us directly via:

• Web: Contact Form
• Phone: (07) 3067 9400
• Email: enquiries@gfcq.org.au