Coal to continue firing in region
QUEENSLAND’S powerhouse the Western Downs has long been a hot commodity for fossil fuel companies and although there’s been an uptake of renewable projects, coal may be embedded in the region’s future for years to come.
The 2020 TSBE and Western Downs Regional Council Development Status Report from June, stated the major energy hub has received expressions of interest from major fossil fuel companies wanting to expand or create new projects across the region.
The document stated the northern tip of the Western Downs, Wandoan has been tipped for a key thermal coal cut mine along with relevant infrastructure such as processing facilities and train lines.
New Hope Coal, who owns the controversial New Acland Coal Mine, hopes to build three projects in Wandoan; the $30m Elimatta Project, $652m Collingwood Project, and The Woori Project.
New Hope Coal also has four exploration permits covering 870sq km in Dalby.
Another coal project in the feasibility stage is Stanmore Coal’s The Range Project which has been in the works since 2010.
The $599m open cut coal mine 25km south west of Wandoan plans to extract 157m tonnes of coal over 26 years.
Other mining companies who have exploration permits in Wandoan include Waratah Coal, Stanmore Coal, Metro Mining, and Moreton Resources – with a combined permit footprint of 2021sq km.
Origin Energy, Australia Pacific LNG, is in the process of building a major gas hub at Tara, which would host 800 gas wells, ponds, gas and water gathering networks, two gas processing facilities and gas pipelines.
The $550m APLNG project is in the exploration and appraisal stage.
In the heart of Queensland’s coal seam gas field at Miles, Central Petroleum has a gas exploration permit covering 77sq km.
In a 50/50 partnership Incitec Pivot, the companies began drilling test gas wells for the $50m project.
Other companies granted exploration permits across the region include United Queensland, Pan Asia JV, Armour Energy and APLNG in Chinchilla, Armour Energy in Dalby, Tag Oil in Tara, and Real Energy Strata-X in Miles.