groundwater contamination

Many of you will have read considerable numbers of posts giving various views of the threat posed by UCG on groundwater supplies. So having bought a copy of the report authored by M Blinderman and S Fidler which focussed on Groundwater at the Chinchilla Underground Coal Gasfication site I thought some of you might appreciate a few of my observations.

Here goes.

Firstly there is little doubt that if you don't know what youa re doing a UCG process can cause significant issues with groundwater. two US based trials at Carbon County and Hoe Creek in Wyoming demonstrated that expensive clean up was required. HOWEVER, when you read the report you also get a strong view that both authors know what theya re talking about.

The Chinchilla monitoring was both thorough, and expansive. An inner ring of monitoring wells about 300 metres radius and an outer ring of wells, radius 350 to 1750 metres were used. Needless to say pressure readings and water soluable content readings were taken throughout the study period.

Both phenolic and PAH readings were well below those of the background geology.

Obviously key to the successful management of groundwater contamination is keeping the pressure in the gasifier below that of the surrounding water pressure. This point is emphasised several times.

Over all though, I gained several comforting insights. these include:-

a) Blinderman knows what he's doing
b) The management process for groundwater contamination depends on the technology used. Hence CNX and, presumably LNC, are now using un-proven groundwatering systems. Whereas CXY had access to teh ONLY successful UCG technology when viewed from the successful management of contamination, and
c) CXY now has even more cause for pressing on and challenging the Queensland Government to allow it, rather than the other two to progress more quickly.

With regards to water contamination, CXY has proved it. The other still need to.