AGL has applied to the Office of Coal Seam Gas to adapt its Waukivory REF approval for the Waukivory Pilot site in NSW.
AGL applied for the variation of its Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the Waukivory Pilot to allow the movement of flowback water (via an existing AGL water pipeline) from the four pilot wells to Tiedmans East Dam.
Flowback water will be stored temporarily onsite until a third party contractor is engaged, or Stage 1 Gloucester Gas Project commences, during which time the water will be treated via the desalination process outlined in the Extracted Water Management Strategy.
Currently, there are 600,000 litres of flowback water in the above ground tank at Waukivory. Between 3 and 3.5 megalitres of flowback water are expected to be recovered from the Waukivory wells. This will easily fit into the 20 megalitre, double-lined Tiedmans East Dam.
The storage is also fitted with a leak detection system, there are two nearby seepage monitoring bores, and AGL will be undertaking extra water sampling. No flowback water will be used for irrigation.
The variation to the REF will provide additional certainty around the secure storage and management of flowback water from the Waukivory Pilot.
AGL will continue to negotiate with third parties for the treatment and disposal of the water at an EPA licensed facility.