Santos has released a video detailing the rehabilitation progress of one of the company’s former construction sites.
Lush grass has spread across the Arcadia Valley in Central Queensland, leaving few tell-tale signs to indicate the presence of a 420-kilometre-long, 42-inch-diameter pipeline buried just metres beneath the surface.
At sites that were a hive of construction activity only months ago, grass is springing up and vegetation is starting to flourish.
Santos GLNG Pipeline Project Manager Greg Jones said the business was delivering on its promise to return the land to property owners in good condition.
“From Central Queensland through to Gladstone, we are rehabilitating the land above our pipeline to the same standard that we have in the Arcadia Valley,” Greg said.
“Our goal is for the pipeline to be basically undetectable in farming areas.”
Rehabilitation begins with removing and safely stockpiling fertile topsoil in an exclusion zone before construction begins.
After pipe burial, the ground – including any creeks, banks and drainage lines – is reinstated to its pre-existing contours and work begins to re-establish soil and vegetation cover.
“Close consultation with landholders has always underpinned Santos GLNG’s operations and this applies to rehabilitation, where the property owner determines what types of seeds we use,” he said.
“For pasture areas, we consult with each landholder and sow pasture mixes at their request. This mixture always includes Japanese Millet, a fast-growing grass to establish a cover crop, along with a mix of other seed varieties.
“In cropping areas, where landholders generally do not want seeding to occur, the land is available to the property owner to sow crops of their choice.”
The pipeline route will be fully rehabilitated with initial reinstatement works now more than 90 percent complete.
Santos GLNG, together with pipeline contractor Saipem Australia, will visit properties every three to six weeks or immediately after rainfall to check the progress of revegetation.
