After taking and looking at a cross section of Water and Soil samples taken from across the area that Eastern Star Gas/Santos have been actively operating in, there is a proven trail of complete and utter wilful dumping of CS (coal seam) Water in the area., which has and will continue to pollute and destroy the soils and waters of the Pilliga State Forest which is part of an area known as the Southern Recharge of the Great Australian Basin.
This wilful dumping of CS water has been going on for at least 13 years with the evedence still available for all to see. (Bohena 7), and Bohena 2 to name just a very few.
The Bohena ponds at Bohena 1 South are a perfect example of the way evaporation ponds can introduce into the surrounding environment the toxic chemicals and water that is associated with this Gas extraction, and the unlined pond at Bohena 7 is a complete no-brain-er when it comes to complete Environmental protection.
An extract of the soil and water analysis from Bohena 7 is as follows:
Soil: a pH of 11.2, a Sodium level of 1700 ppm, Potassium of 70 ppm, Calcium of 20 ppm, Barium of 100 ppm, Manganese 0f 100 ppm, Chloride of 2960 ppm, Chromium of 10 ppm.
Water: a pH of 9.93, a Sodium level of 1030 ppm, a total Alkalinity of 1720 ppm and lots of metals with elevated readings.
An extract of the soil and water analysis from the area outside the Bohena Evaporation Ponds is as follows:
Soil: a pH of 10.2, a Sodium level of 3150 ppm, Potassium of130 ppm, Calcium of 110 ppm, Barium of 70 ppm, Manganese of 55 ppm , Chloride of 2080 ppm, Chromium of 8 ppm.
Water: a pH of 8.04, a Sodium level of 175 ppm, total Alkalinity of 280 ppm, and lots of metals with elevated readings.
I have not looked at the quality of the discharge at the Bibblewindi Water Treatment Works that Santos released back in early 2012, but we already know, and Santos’ report can be quoted here, that the pH level and other Chemical levels have been dramatically changed from Acid levels of below 6 pH to a level of above pH 9, and at a depth of 600 mm, and that this occurred over an alleged time frame of 6 months. So how far has the penetration into the soil and sub-surface Aquifers been at the Bohena Pond and the Bohena 7 off-sites, given that these areas have been left as is since at least 2005, and what about the earlier sites Bohena 2 and 3 along with all the rest.
I have only picked on two sites, Bohena 7 and the Bohena Ponds, because there was water and soil in combination available for testing. There are many sites across the Pilliga State Forest and indeed across the entire PEL238 where, since between 1999 and 2012, there have been deliberate discharges of CS water, all of which have a grave marker “Dead Ground and Vegetation” and were covered up by Governments, The Companies or Individuals or a combination of the previous mentioned.
I will mention that all these Chemicals and Salts are being carried into the Aquifers of the Great Australian Basin Souther Recharge. Whaever is spilt on the ground and penetrates the top 1 mm of the soil has entered the first Aquifer of the GAB ( see map on Home page for region of Southern Recharge Area of the GAB), from them on out it is full on into the GAB proper.
No Aquifer interference Policy will ever prevent what has already occurred from destroying Australia’s greatest source of wealth, “The waters of the GAB”, because the damage has already been done and will continue to be done as long as CSG is allowed to occur and the greedy Governments and Companies can get away with not providing the Science of the Gas Extraction process.
How will Governments and CSG Companies ever be able to bench-mark the true quality of the GAB waters in the Area of the Pilliga State Forest and the Recharge area, their data will always be of a suspect quality. I and others, know what it was like before the CSG Industry, with Government sanction, polluted the regions surface and the Aquifers that are the Southern Recharge area of the GAB and have the records to prove it, as well as the records to show how CSG Mining has destroyed Aquifers by polluting them with the products of Drilling and extracted waters.
Santos as a warning: I have lots more proof of the inability to conduct CSG Mining with respect to: – the Environment – the Community around the area of operation – and to the Laws of the Nation, especially those that govern to extraction of CSG, its Licences and Approvals.
Santos; THE PILLIGA IS YOUR INDONESIA IN AUSTRALIA