In a dramatic turn of events, the NSW government has suspended AGL’s licence to operate its Waukivory Pilot Project to mine coal seam gas (CSG) in Gloucester, pending the result of an investigation launched on January 28.
The suspension came just a day after AGL said it was "voluntarily" suspending work at the site after it had detected banned carcinogenic benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) chemicals in flowback water from two of the four wells and an above-ground storage tank.
Gloucester CSG
NSW SHUTS CSG OPERATIONS IN GLOUCESTER
The New South Wales government has shut down AGL’s coal seam gas operations in Gloucester in northern NSW.
AGL voluntarily suspended operations after it detected benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, also known as BTEX, in flowback water from two of the four wells.
AGL said it did not use the chemicals, banned in CSG operations since 2011, and it was likely to be naturally occurring.
The government has suspended AGL’s licence until an investigation has been completed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
