Unconventional Gas Development in Queensland, Australia: How Well Doesit Align with the ‘Golden Rules’ of Gas?

摘要

In 2012, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released the ‘Golden Rules for a Golden Age of Gas’ - aset of best practice guidelines for unconventional gas development designed to address key environmentaland social risks and gain public acceptance of the industry. This study sought primarily to understand theextent to which the experience of developing a large-scale coal seam gas (CSG) to liquefied natural gas(LNG) industry in Queensland, Australia was seen to have aligned with the Golden Rules, and how wellthe Golden Rules were seen to contribute to public acceptance of the industry. An evaluation tool was developed where the seven Golden Rules and their subclauses were adopted ascriteria in a scorecard approach. We conducted interviews with 32 senior people who had been directlyinvolved in the development of the CSG industry in Queensland, from local, state and federal governments,gas companies, host communities as well as researchers and consultant ‘experts’. The Queensland experience of unconventional gas development rated reasonably well in relation to theGolden Rules, with scores of three or higher out of five for four of the seven rule categories. Across allthe Golden Rules, industry performance scored more highly than the effectiveness of the policy/regulatoryenvironment, highlighting the complex and sometimes conflicted roles of governments in developing a newindustry. The rules addressing baseline measurement, full disclosure and engagement were seen as mostimportant for public acceptance. This study developed a new tool to evaluate perceived social and environmental performance ofindustry and effectiveness of governance in unconventional gas development applicable across differentjurisdictional contexts. This application suggests that baseline measurements, open disclosure and publicengagement should be the focus for building public acceptance. For new gas developments, these findingshighlight the importance of having a robust regulatory environment in place that can coordinate activitiesand manage cumulative impacts.