Gas industry 'regulated'

Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer Peter Henderson of METGASCO.

Jay Cronan

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THE controversial coal seam gas mining sector does not need further regulation, Metgasco’s new chief executive Peter Henderson said yesterday.

Speaking to The Northern Star in his first media interview since taking the helm of the Casino-based gas company four weeks ago, Mr Henderson said despite calls for more stringent regulation from environmental groups, the industry was already well-regulated.

“We think we are quite well-regulated,” he said.

“I have heard people say that there is no regulation with coal seam gas, but there are regulations about oil and gas and we fit under all of those.

We also think there is a very high degree of self-policing.

“We are committed to operating safely and being open and transparent, and delivering benefits to the local community.”

As well as its conventional Kingfisher gas field, the company has an extensive area of significant coal seam gas reserves and has already drilled about 30 exploratory wells.

The NSW Farmers’ Association and a host of North Coast councils have called for a moratorium.

However, Mr Henderson said coal seam gas mining is not new technology and it could be managed with “very little impact on the environment”.

“I can understand how a local community with no familiarity with it can see it as threatening.

“We need to get on to the front foot and explain to people what the business is about, how we manage risk and why we think it is a safe technology,” he said.

He said a list of the chemicals used during fraccing was publicly available and they “posed no threat to groundwater”.