The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) has published a fact sheet about gas seeps and bubbles in Queensland’s Condamine River, following the release of a video by a NSW Greens MP who lit the river on fire.
The video shows New South Wales Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham lighting the surface of the river which bursts into flames. Mr Buckingham blames the impact of coal seam gas production for the methane present in the river.
APPEA said the accusation that the bubbling gas in the Condamine River is caused by coal seam gas production is not supported by scientific or historical evidence.
APPEA said the bubbling gas pre-dates gas production activity in the area, going back 30 years, and the coals beneath the Condamine River naturally contain methane gas and are much closer to the surface than is normally the case.
Further, APPEA said that following an investigation into Condamine River gas seeps, the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines said in 2012 that there is no safety risk or evidence of environmental harm occurring in the immediate area from the Condamine River gas seeps.
