The Australian Government commissioned the National assessment of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia in 2012.
The Assessment examined 113 chemicals used by companies in Australia between 2010 and 2012 in drilling and hydraulic fracturing for coal seam gas, to develop a stronger understanding of the risks these chemicals could pose to the health of workers, the public and the environment.
Read the Assessment Overview for a summary of the Assessment and its methods and findings.
The Assessment was a complex project of Australian Government partners, resulting in 14 reports and reviews.
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Reviewing existing literature |
1 |
Literature review: Summary report (NICNAS, 2017) This review summarises the results of the various literature reviews listed below. |
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2 |
Literature review: Human health implications (NICNAS, 2017) This report reviews the literature about human health and gas extraction available before 2013. |
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3 |
This report reviews the literature about the environment and gas extraction available up until 2013. |
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4 |
Literature review: Hydraulic fracture growth and well integrity (Jeffery et al., 2017) This report reviews the literature about hydraulic fracturing and coal seam gas wells available before 2013. |
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5 |
Literature review: Geogenic contaminants associated with coal seam operations (Apte et al., 2017) This report reviews the literature about naturally occurring chemicals and hydraulic fracturing available before 2013. |
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6 |
This report reviews the literature about leaks, accidents and spills associated with gas extraction available before 2013. |
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Identifying chemicals |
7 |
Identification of chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction in Australia (NICNAS, 2017) This report identifies 113 chemicals used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing for coal seam gas in Australia. |
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Modelling how chemicals could move from where they are released to other parts of the environment |
8 |
This report describes how chemicals could move through soil and shallow groundwater. |
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9 |
Environmental exposure conceptualisation: Surface to surface water pathways (DoEE, 2017) This report describes how chemicals could be carried in surface water. |
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10 |
This report calculates potential concentrations of chemicals in soils and shallow groundwater based on how chemicals could move through the media. |
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Assessing risks to workers and the public |
11 |
Chemicals of low concern for human health based on an initial assessment of hazards (NICNAS, 2017) This report identifies the chemicals used in coal seam gas extraction that are already known to be of low human health hazard and therefore inherently of low concern for human health. |
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12 |
Appendix A – Hazard Assessment Sheets (NICNAS, 2017) This report assesses whether the chemicals could harm human health in their pure, concentrated form. |
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13 |
Appendix D – Human health chemical risk assessment sheets (NICNAS, 2017) This report assesses whether chemicals could be harmful to workers or the public in scenarios specific to coal seam gas extraction in Australia. |
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Assessing risks to the environment |
14 |
This report assesses whether chemicals could be harmful to the environment in scenarios specific to coal seam gas extraction in Australia. |
Additional supporting research
Deeper groundwater hazard screening for chemicals used in coal seam gas extraction
The Department commissioned CSIRO to conduct further research on deeper groundwater. This research shows how chemicals used in coal seam gas extraction might move from deeper groundwater to other parts of the environment, how long this movement might take, and what the concentrations of chemicals might be at receiving environments such as water bores and streams. The research found that chemicals remaining underground after hydraulic fracturing are unlikely to reach people or ecosystems in concentrations that would cause concern. This conclusion is based on natural dilution and degradation that reduce concentrations to negligible levels. Risks are therefore likely to be very low.
The research developed methods that can be used on a project-by-project basis to assess risks to human health and the environment from chemicals remaining deep underground as a result of hydraulic fracturing in coal seam gas operations. It did not assess the risks associated with any existing or proposed coal seam gas project.
This research drew on three additional reports. These reports may be found on the CSIRO website.
Risk Assessment Guidance Manual: for chemicals associated with coal seam gas extraction – consultation draft
The Assessment developed improved, targeted methods for assessing the risks of chemicals used in coal seam gas operations, and included release of a consultation draft Chemical Risk Assessment Guidance Manual.