Regulation

The Queensland Government conserves, protects and manages the state’s environment and natural resources by administering a range of legislation.

This includes tough laws based on scientific evidence to protect the environment from potential impacts from resource activities including petroleum, geothermal and greenhouse gas storage.  The aim is to:

• protect groundwater and the Great Artesian Basin
• protect landholders’ water quality
• prohibit harmful chemicals being used in fraccing operations
• ensure high treatment and disposal standards for wastes, and more.

In Queensland, greenhouse gas storage activities are prohibited within the geographic area of the Great Artesian Basin. That is, the area that is on or below the surface of the plan area under the Water Plan (Great Artesian Basin and Other Regional Aquifers) 2017.

Before companies start any work on any operation they must go through an application and approval process and meet stringent requirements. Approval requirements may change depending on whether exploration, development or production activities are being carried out.

In addition, a process is in place which ensures environmental authorities can be changed to take into account results from new research, standards, monitoring or modelling.

The Queensland Government has the ability to impose significant penalties on companies that breach their authorities, licences and permits, and can also cancel or suspend environmental approvals in certain circumstances.