minister response to my letter, page-4

In my opinion, the Queensland Government's response has everything to do with the protests from environmentalists and farmers, see following:

http://newsbytes.com.au/2010/08/farmers-to-rally-over-coal-seam-gas-dangers/

And very little, or more likely nothing, to do with a the minimal transient detections (especially when compared with standards set at max 10ppb for USA and 5 ppb World Health Organisation's). (http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20100927/pdf/31sqywdxqzpbjf.pdf)

Remember that Cougar's Kingaroy plant was originally shut down over a labratory mistake, which flared up the KCCG, Pratt, and others. The BTEX referred to in the response to swhite, is in relation to the transient detections, and has been used (abused, IMO). Under other circumstances (i.e. no pressure from protestors), I have no doubt that Cougar would have continued to operate, while normal monitoring operations continued.

But, it is important to recognise that if government give into ill-informed, and overeactive KCCG and other protestors then they will only flared up another fire - empowered protestors. Which will be an even greater headache for the government. For such protestors are also focused on CSG operations, see:

http://www.sixdegrees.org.au/content/500-strong-protest-reject-coal-darling-downs

I guess the Queensland Governemnt want to be seen in a certain light, but once they have achieved that, even though at the expense of Cougar and its shareholders, then they will allow Cougar (and Carbon Energy) to actually proceed. So, imo, it has much to do with protestors, and not so much (if anything at this point) to do with CSG (i.e. CSG vs UCG issue), and nothing to do with this years incident at Cougar's Kingaroy plant.

So, i assume that the government have a vested interest in reopening Kingaroy, in its own good time of course. Something else to consider with regards to the delays - would the government have been well aware that Cougar had access to $10 million to keep the company afloat? Good enough for Qld government to use Cougar while not causing Cougar bankruptcy as the gov navigate through the protesting issues directed at gov, CSG, and UCG.

Just my opinion of course.