Farmers launch protest in Sydney against APA Group’s WSP pipeline

Farmers in New South Wales (NSW) have assembled in Sydney, Australia, to protest against the proposed construction of a pipeline by APA Group from Santos’s Narrabri coal seam gas (CSG) project in the Pilliga Forest to the existing Moomba to Sydney pipeline.

APA Group intends to build the 460km Western Slopes Pipeline (WSP) project to supply gas from the Narrabri project to the NSW market.

The pipeline project is subject to the receipt of relevant approvals for the $3bn Narrabri gas project, which has been facing opposition from environmental groups.

It involves the development of a coal seam gasfield comprising up to 850 gas wells on up to 425 well pads.

Santos expects the project to supply up to 50% of NSW natural gas needs. In February last year, the NSW Government placed the project’s environmental impact statement (EIS) in the public domain and invited views from the community.

Coonamble farmer Simon Fagan said: “Our community is united in opposition to the APA Group pipeline and to any infrastructure or activity related to coal seam gas. We have passed unanimous motions declaring our intention to block the pipeline at any cost.

“We’re in the grip of drought and really battling to keep afloat. In this day and age, it’s utter madness to push forward with fossil fuel projects that risk our most precious resources, our water. We demand that APA Group drop the Pilliga gas pipeline.”

Given the widespread opposition for the project, the government has sought further information from Santos on the project in relation to the EIS. APA Group then deferred the submission of the EIS for the WSP project.

Gamilaraay traditional custodian Raymond Weatherall noted that the pipeline route covers an area, which contains heritage sites.

Wilderness Society Newcastle campaign manager Naomi Hodgson said: “The depth and scale of community rejection of the Narrabri gas project are directly relevant to APA Group’s Pilliga gas pipeline.

“The public scrutiny of the Narrabri project has led to government agencies requesting further information from Santos before the assessment can proceed.”

Last month, Santos placed the gas project on its non-core priority list, given the lack of progress.