QLD: Coal seam gas industry booms in QLD

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2009
QLD: Coal seam gas industry booms in QLD

While Australia's mining industry feels the pinch of the worsening global financial
crisis .. Queensland's coal seam gas industry is booming .. with the market increasing
by 50 per cent in the last 12 months.

2008 figures show approximately 600 coal seam gas wells are drilled annually .. with
80 per cent of the state's gas coming from the Bowen and Surat Basins in the southwest
of the state.

Department of Mines and Energy Minister GEOFF WILSON says the CSG industry has invested
more than a billion dollars in Queensland.

The industry boost comes as the Queensland Government encourages a transition from
coal to gas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions .. requiring electricity retailers to source
at least 13 per cent of their energy from gas-fired generation.

AAP RTV vb/bart/ka

KEYWORD: CSG (BRISBANE)

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