The Victorian Government has released the draft Petroleum Regulations 2021, opening it up for feedback from the community before it is finalised later this year.
The draft Regulations guides explorers and developers on new requirements to better engage with the community and be more transparent, whilst allowing Victorians to see how the restart of the onshore gas industry is overseen in the state.
The onshore conventional gas restart follows three years of detailed scientific investigations by the Victorian Gas Program, overseen by the independent Stakeholder Advisory Panel chaired by Victoria’s Lead Scientist, Dr Amanda Caples.
It found an onshore conventional gas industry would not compromise our environment or farming sector.
Conventional gas extraction is a tried and tested method to access gas deep underground, trapped by an impermeable rock layer and does not involve fraccing, which is now prohibited and the ban enshrined in the Victorian Constitution.
Since the lifting of the onshore conventional gas moratorium, Earth Resources Regulation has inspected existing onshore conventional gas sites as part of a program to ensure compliance with existing safeguards and that the industry is prepared for the new regulatory regime.
The draft Petroleum Regulations 2021 and associated Regulatory Impact Statement are available for comment until 3 September 2021.
An online information session will be held on Thursday 12 August to help anyone interested to further understand the proposed changes, the feedback process, and next steps.
More details can be found at earthresources.vic.gov.au/onshoregas
