Recent News
Previous News Items
- On the record: checking the green tide
- Modification to Illawarra CSG Project Approved by PAC
- NSW Government supports recognises coal seam gas as valuable and necessary resource
- APPEA further exposes misleading anti CSG tactics
- Apex responds to Stop SCG Illawarra questions
- Anti coal seam gas group false claims exposed
- CSG scaremongering tactics exposed
- Apex sees minimal effect to operations following NSW Government announcement on “tough new conditions”
- NSW Government won't extend moratorium on mining exploration
- Apex hits back at claims of recent CSG beneficial law changes
- Apex Energy & Ormil Energy Granted Approval for Burragorang Core Drilling
- Apex and Ormil Respond to Stop CSG Illawarra Petition
- UK House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee defends hydraulic fracturing (fraccing or fracking)
- Apex Issues Media Statement
- Apex Energy has responded to the Sydney Morning Herald's recent articles in a letter to the editor. The letter can be sean at the following link
- Apex enters into farmin arrangement for the development of its NSW gas tenures
- Apex aquies a 100% interest in PEL454
- Apex receives approval for Illawarra Exploration Project
- Apex explores Burragorang gas potential
- Apex signs agreement for Burragorang gas exploration
Apex Issues Media Statement
By Chris Rogers
May 31, 2011
By Chris Rogers
May 31, 2011
Apex Enengy has issued the following ststement to members of the media in line with its policy of transparency and cooperations:
--------------------------------------------
1/ Community
Apex has consulted extensively with residents who live near to the sites of the proposed exploration drilling, and held local community meetings. Apex has been the subject of many media articles, has a detailed and informative web site and has cooperated freely and fully with local anti CSG groups. The Illawarra gas exploration project has been available for viewing on Department of Planning web throughout the approval process since mid 2009. Apex has presented many technical papers on its projects and fully intends to be open and cooperative with all stakeholders.
2/ Environment:
Apex has been through an intensive approval process which includes assessment of all potential environmental impacts, taking particular note of the sensitivities of the water catchment area and bushland.
Apex is in early exploration stage and each of the initial boreholes is for purpose of data gathering only, following which they will be cemented to the surface and the sites rehabilitated.
3/ Water contamination and fraccing:
Apex has issued statements that it does not intend to use hydraulic fracturing in the South Sydney Basin because the company believes that this completion method will not yield commercial gas flows within the prevailing coal seam conditions.
It is well documented that there are no defined significant aquifers in the Illawarra coal measures. Many years of coal mining in the region has confirmed the relatively dry coal conditions. Apex expects produced water quantities and qualities to be easily manageable.
Q & A – Macarthur Chronicle
- What exactly is Apex doing in the Waratah Rivulet? What is involved?
Apex and its partner Ormil Energy Ltd have an approved project as detailed on the following Department of Planning link.
- What methods is Apex using to drill in this region?
The project is an exploration project. This involves data collection by standard core sampling drilling. This involves taking samples of the coal measures then cementing the 100mm diameter hole to the surface. The site is then rehabilitated.
- Some community members are concerned about the impacts on the environment and catchments that they believe the drilling could potentially cause – what are your thoughts about this? Are their risks?
Some 2000 wells have been drilled in the Illawarra including in the catchment area. It is well proven that risk of adverse environmental impacts is easily managed and mitigated.
- There have also been concerns raised about hydraulic fuels for drilling – I noticed on the Apex website you claim not to use this method? What is used instead? Is this safer?
The project is an exploration project only. We are in the feasibility stage and cannot determine which production technique would likely be successful at this early stage. We are however, confident that the completion technique known as fraccing will not produce the results we would need if and when the project reaches the production phase. This opinion is derived from many years of successful gas drainage in the regional underground coal mines.
- What is Apex doing to ensure the environment and water supply is not affected?
The company has undertaken an extensive environmental assessment in consultation with government and other stakeholders. See the following link for access to this EA
- The drilling is at an exploratory stage, what will happen after this?
The purpose of exploration is to assess feasibility. Until feasibility has been established we cannot comment on likely future activity. Clearly we hope to take the project to production in line with the needs of the State of NSW in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Search
 |