A Western Downs farmer whose priority agricultural land-listed farm has been heavily impacted by coal seam gas-induced subsidence has lodged an urgent request for ministerial intervention against further nearby drilling by Arrow Energy. A summary of the complaint, which was sent to Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, is available here.
Coal seam gas drilling on neighbouring properties since 2020 has caused John “Kojak” Karrasch’s mixed grain farm to sink, leading to the opening up of significant depressions and changes in land gradient that have caused the flow of water and effluent from a nearby feedlot to run over his property.
A photo of Kojak is here.
One of the famous “Springvale Four” who successfully challenged Arrow’s attempts to drill directly on their land, Kojak’s property is now under increased threat from Arrow Energy plans to drill six wells on a neighbouring property to his east, and two on the property to his west.
Both neighbouring farms are classified as “priority agricultural land” under Queensland’s planning laws - a categorisation that should offer protection from the damage caused by coal seam gas drilling.
But because Arrow Energy, a joint venture owned by multinationals PetroChina and Shell, owns one of the properties, and has an agreement with the owner of the other, it has claimed it does not need to conduct the highest level of required assessment before drilling.
In their complaint, Kojak and Chinchilla-based landholder advocate Dr Shay Dougall have challenged the legality of Arrow’s claim, and argue it is unlawful due to the wider impacts the activity is likely to cause, including increased subsidence on Kojak’s property.
Despite lodging the complaint mid-last month, Kojak and Dr Dougall are yet to receive a response from the government.
Kojak said, “Arrow Energy’s drilling on neighbouring properties is causing country on my farm to sink. It’s severely impacting my ability to grow crops for Queenslanders and others right around the country.
“It’s an absolute travesty that multinational gas companies can wreck Aussie farms while the government just sits back and lets it happen.”
Dr Dougall said, “The priority agricultural land-listed farms of the Springvale district should all be protected under Queensland law from damage caused by coal seam gas drilling. But in practice, companies like Arrow find loopholes that allow them to drill, which in turn causes farmland right throughout the district to sink.
"Here on the Western Downs, farmers not only fear coal seam gas wells being drilled on their land, but also the gas wells next door.
“This is having a devastating impact on some of Queensland’s best farmland, and that’s why farmers like Kojak are calling for immediate ministerial intervention. So far, farmers have had their pleas ignored. It’s time that changed.”
ENDS
Background:
Coal seam gas induced subsidence occurs when the extraction of gas and water from the coal seams causes land above to sink. It can cause impacts to farmland many kilometres from the actual drilling location.
Under Queensland planning law, gas companies must apply for a Regional Interest Planning Approval (RIDA) if they wish to drill on priority agricultural land. A RIDA is required when a resource or regulated activity is proposed in an area of "regional interest".
One of the neighbouring properties where Arrow plans to drill is owned by the company itself. While the company did conduct a RIDA, it did not consider subsidence to the area, and Kojak was not made aware even though Arrow was required by law to inform him. At the time, the company was planning to drill diagonally beneath his property.
The second property has an agreement in place with the landowner, and Arrow has self-assessed that, as a result of this agreement, it is exempt from conducting a RIDA. Kojak and other farmers who are resisting Arrow strongly contest this argument on the grounds that the exemption claim is unlawful due to the wider impacts the activity is likely to cause.
In the leadup to the last year’s State Election, local MP Pat Weir promised farmers that a Crisafulli Government would protect this aquifer and the overlying priority agricultural land from damage caused by the coal seam gas industry. The government is yet to implement any changes to make good on this promise.