A MOCK methane gas well head (pictured) has been built at Broke by AGL Energy to demonstrate the visual impact of a well head.
Local residents and environmental group Hunter Valley Protection Alliance believe the mock well has been built in vain saying that while one well head may look unobtrusive a field of them has a completely different impact.
“One does look unobtrusive, but if you multiply that by one every 200 metres, add roads, drilling rigs, pads, sheds, tanks, holding dams, flares, pipes, trucks, trailers and other infrastructure for every well – it looks a lot different,” Hunter Valley Protection Alliance deputy chairperson Graeme Gibson said yesterday.
The alliance had contacted AGL about the well, which appeared on the AGL Energy owned Spring Mountain property, and failed to receive a response from local representatives or CEO Michael Fraser.
“The first explanation we heard was on Upper Hunter radio,” Mr Gibson said.
Mr Gibson said it was a typical example of the darkness the community was left in about the company’s exploration of coal seam gas in the area.
“There is no consultation, as far as I am concerned,” Mr Gibson said.
“When we first saw the well there was a lot of concern about it and people wondered if they had started attempting to extract methane gas.
“They send out press releases, that some of the community may receive, but there is no direct line of communication between the company and the community.”
AGL Energy spokesperson Nathan Vass said AGL has established a demonstration well head on its Spring Mountain property to give the local community a better idea of how unobtrusive coal seam gas operations will be in the production phase.
“The well head is not connected to any pipes and gas cannot flow. The structure is six metres by six metres and about three metres high at its tallest point.
“We look forward to holding field days in the future where people can come out and see that the production well heads are not only unobtrusive, but can comfortably co-exist with other land uses.”
The AGL Energy PEL licence expires on December 19, 2012 and Mr Gibson wants the newly elected state government to deliver on promises made during the campaign.
According to Mr Gibson, when AGL renews the licence it will have to relinquish 25 per cent of the petroleum exploration licence (PEL).
“Prior to the election both parties were committed to protecting the iconic Hunter Valley vineyards in the Broke and Bulga areas from that PEL,” Mr Gibson said.
“The government can take that 25 per cent and include this winegrowing region in it.
“Here is the opportunity to honour that commitment.”
q Meanwhile AGL has opened a Hunter Customer Service and Information Centre in Singleton at 85B John Street (formerly Every Woman).
The company hopes this will encourage locals to learn about its offerings and operations in the Hunter region.
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