TWENTY-EIGHT DAYS IN THE BRISBANE VALLEY-DEALING WITH THE EXTERNAL ISSUES OF EXPLORATION WITHIN A RURAL RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT
The APPEA Journal
40(1) 682 - 691
Published: 2000
Abstract
This paper examines challenges experienced when drilling Glamorgan–1, a wildcat exploration well located at Glamorganvale, 40 km west of Brisbane.The operation of the well received a high level of public and government scrutiny due to its proximity to local residences and the overseeing government departments in Brisbane. While exploratory hydrocarbon exploration drilling has occurred in close proximity to residences in other Australian states, this well was considered a first, as the well was drilled on a 24-hour basis within a rural residential population. To compound this issue, the immediate community consisted mainly of professionally employed people attempting to escape the urban noise and lifestyle. The well, drilled within the winter months of 1999, was located in a small valley surrounded by 11 houses within a 700 m radius.
The paper considers the following key issues:
Environmental management: Due to the well location and its proximity to the neighbouring residents, an environmental management plan was developed for the operation. A number of key issues were identified during the preparation of the EM plan, including noise, water use, waste water removal,social impacts, air quality, light and impact on fauna.
Noise management: Noise levels recorded by four static loggers were correlated against rig activity to determine noise sources. The main sources of constant noise on the rig were the generators and mud pumps, with an increase in the level of intrusive noise occurring during tripping of the pipe. Not all noise could be controlled on the site and the focus of the mitigation was turned from controlling it at the source to mitigating its impact to the receiver using hay bales as soundbarriers.
Community awareness of the drilling operation, and the overall acceptance of the project.
https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ99047
© CSIRO 2000
