This scare campaign needs to be countered with simple facts. In terms of its chemical composition, unconventional gas is identical to conventional natural gas (primarily methane).
Unconventional gas is generally produced from complex geological systems that prevent or significantly limit the migration of gas and require innovative technological solutions for extraction.
Horizontal direction drilling (HDD) into a coal seam will enable excess water to be drawn out of the seam and allow the gas to migrate to the surface via the well.
Fracking – hydraulic fracturing – which is used to access unconventional gas has become the main complaint about the industry, but it is not highly prevalent in accessing CSG.
Coal seams are relatively permeable and wide areas can be accessed from a small surface footprint using HDD.
Therefore hydraulic fracturing to access the gas is only undertaken when absolutely necessary or in the late phase of well depletion when gas release has markedly slowed.
There have been many scientific reviews, including an important one delivered in September 2014 by the New South Wales Chief Scientist, that provide reassurance that fracking, if conducted appropriately, is not a major issue.
This review reported that fracking of coal seams in Queensland could vary from 4 per cent to 40 per cent of wells, depending on a number of localised geological factors.
The integrity of gas wells, drilled and constructed to contemporary standards were found to be vastly superior to oil and gas wells constructed prior to the year 2000.
A recent review for the Northern Territory Government examined data, mostly from North America that found the latest drilling and well construction technology could deliver leak frequencies of 0.005 per cent to 0.03 per cent for wells currently in service and lower frequencies were anticipated as professionalism and standards continue to improve in the industry.