BEACH Energy has stood by its environmental track record and pledged to operate under strict guidelines when it rolls out two new conventional gas drilling projects in the region.
This follows the region’s peak environmental action group pledging to protest at its proposed two new drill sites near Penola.
Beach Energy – which discovered a commercial gas field at its Haselgrove-3 well site – now plans to expand drilling with a new exploration project known as Haselgrove-4.
Haselgrove-4 will be located 7km south of Penola close to the existing network of Haselgrove wells.
The petroleum company will also target conventional gas reserves in bluegum plantations 20km north-west of Penola for its Dombey-1 project.
The two new drilling sites will see gas exploration surge to the highest level for many years.
Beach Energy regional manager Glenn Toogood said the two new projects would see the gas industry in the South East revitalised.
“We will operate under strict environmental guidelines,” Mr Toogood said.
Regarding looming protests by the Limestone Coast Protection Alliance, he said the company acknowledged its members’ rights to protest.
Equally, he said the alliance needed to respect the fact Beach Energy had the right to legally conduct its operations in the region.
He said gas produced by Beach would supply the region, including Kimberly-Clark’s Millicent Mill.
Mr Toogood said gas could start to flow to the region from early 2020.
But alliance committee member Cate Cooper warned the group would not sit back and watch Beach ramp up its operations.
She vowed the group would again stage protests against the drilling projects.
Ms Cooper – who runs a tourist accommodation business in Penola – warned conventional drilling remained a risk to the environment given exploration techniques drilled through the region’s aquifers.
“We cannot unscramble the egg if the aquifer becomes contaminated – it would be impossible to remove,” Ms Cooper warned.
“We are worried about the long-term risks and the impact on the wine growers.”
Ms Cooper said the alliance expected similar support for any future protests or campaigns.
The tourist industry operator also questioned if these projects – including the proposed rebuild of the Katnook gas processing plant – would be viable without “subsidies” flowing from government.
Drilling activities for Dombey-1 and Haselgrove-4 are expected to start between late 2018 and early 2019.
Beach Energy will also start community consultation early next month with community consultation sessions planned for Penola and Millicent on August 1 and 2.
