Methane concentrations in the Macarthur region where natural coal seam gas is produced are in line with averages for urban areas without coal seam gas production, a specialist scientific study has found.
The AGL Fugitive Methane Emissions Monitoring Program – the first of its kind in NSW – was conducted by air quality specialists Pacific Environment using the Picarro, one of the world’s most sensitive, state-of-the-art instruments for this type of testing.
Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, reviewed an early draft of the report and provided comments.
Twenty-five locations in the Macarthur region were monitored weekly, at different times of the day and night, with 75 hours of measurements for analysis and reporting.
During the 12-week monitoring program the average methane concentration was 2.1ppm (parts per million). This is in line with methane concentrations measured in urban areas commonly ranging between 1.8ppm and 3.0ppm.
These results are lower than readings measured inside a house in the local area:
Mike Moraza, AGL’s Group General Manager Upstream Gas, said the study was developed and conducted in response to community concerns.
“The community has told us they needed more information about fugitive methane emissions, and so AGL voluntarily invested in a research study that goes beyond our regulatory requirements,” Mr Moraza said.
“We involved the community in determining the monitoring sites and at their request increased the number of sites from 17 to 25 in order to get readings from background areas and locations within the Camden Gas Project.
“We tested methane emissions in local parks, near schools and where people in the Macarthur region live and breathe the air.
“The results show that methane concentrations in the Macarthur region are consistent with urban averages, which should reassure the community that it is safe to live and work side by side AGL’s activities.”
Pacific Environment’s Damon Roddis said the testing was thorough and used state-of-the art equipment.
“We are an organisation of air quality specialists and have been monitoring the atmosphere and fugitive air emissions for decades,” Mr Roddis said.
“The results obtained from the AGL monitoring study show that when other local sources are removed from the data, there is no significant difference between the methane concentrations experienced in the Macarthur region and similar locations where no coal seam gas activities are occurring.
“We used one of the best pieces of monitoring equipment in the world for this type of measurement and stand by the conclusions of the study.”
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