I've mulled this for a while ...Cougar were for all intents and...

I've mulled this for a while ...

Cougar were for all intents and purposes set to commercialise UCG with a known and workable technology on completion of the Kingaroy trial.

The other two majors are still developing their respective UCG tecnologies, without indication from either when their technologies might, if ever, be ready to commercialise ... I expect some guffaws over this statement, but I simply say point me to ASX announcements which state facts to the contrary ... I give no weighting whatsoever to scmoozy PR releases.

From just after the go get, the Qld Govt has been back peddling on UCG once CSG majors raised a stink over the issue of overlapping/competing coal leases.

The unfortunate (now overcome) casing design issue at Kingaroy gave the Govt the opportunity to put the regulatory brakes on UCG, particularly Cougar.

From my perspective, the Qld Govt and DERM subjected Cougar to trial by media, manipulated local public opinion by giving special interest groups access to Cougar's various submissions and refused to engage in co-operative dialogue with Cougar throughout the 9 months of the "scientifc" review process ... they even encouraged (insisted?) the Scientific Panel attend community meeting discussing UCG and Cougar ... what a corruption of process this whole sorry saga appears to have been imo.

Current Qld policy on UCG has the decision on whether they permit UCG to commercialise delayed till at least mid 2012, just after the next state election I believe.

If you were the incumbent Qld Govt, wanting to seriously delay UCG to appease the nascent CSG corporates and a vocal few in key electorates, would you do what had to be done to seriously delay or shut down the company with proven UCG technology on the verge of commerciality, whilst letting the other two potter about developing their technology on the basis that proving commerciality must be at least several years away?

To borrow from Keanu Reeves, if you were the Qld Govt, what would you do ... what would you do??

Dex