Coexistence Opportunities for Coal Seam Gas and Agribusiness

Abstract

SummaryAustralia's prospects to become a key energy exporter in the Asia-Pacific region has driven rapid development and expansion of its coal seam gas (CSG) industry, particularly in regional Queensland, Australia. The vast majority of Australia's current CSG developments and reserves are situated in agriculture-rich, cattle-grazing regions; therefore, it is critical to identify symbiotic relationships between agri-based industries and the CSG industry to achieve beneficial coexistence. The CSG industry has generated infrastructure such as gas and water pipelines, water storage and treatment facilities, transportation and electricity networks, and other CSG-associated services (e.g., accommodation, education, and medical facilities), which have the potential to improve regional communities and facilitate economic growth. This article aims to investigate these coexistence opportunities, including the use of by-products (mainly water produced during CSG extraction), infrastructure, and services generated from the CSG industry, which can provide value to the local industries. Focusing on the cattle value chain, the authors suggest an agri-based industrial coexistence model that indicates material-water flows and optimized utilization of infrastructure that not only promote coexistence between the agribusiness and CSG industries, but expand the cattle value-chain productivity in rural Queensland. A water balance has been conducted around the suggested coexistence model with the aim of quantifying water flows, to indicate the supply versus demand scenario associated with CSG-sourced water production. The results of the water balance indicate that CSG water supply has the potential to meet the requirements of agribusiness promoting industries. Keywords:cattle value chain coal bed methane coal seam gas energy-food nexus gas & agricultural coexistence industrial ecology Supporting information is linked to this article on the JIE website

Economic Synergies from Tighter Agri-Business and Coal Seam Gas Integration

“…Mehreen & Underschultz [39], have investigated and analysed several industries that could potentially use the CSG by-products using screening matrices. Those industries with a link or contribution to the agricultural value chain, are natural candidates for implementation in the present agriculturally-rich CSG development areas.…”

“…The screening matrix criteria are presented in Table 3. A comprehensive literature review was conducted by Mehreen & Underschultz [39] to assist the screening matrix analysis, whereby each criterion was rated (1 = low, 2 = medium, 3 = high). The scores were then totalled for each industry.…”

“…Similarly, services provided by the CSG industry (such as by-product CSGAW) to local agribusinesses, can help to facilitate the agricultural value chain by enhancing food productivity, injecting investment opportunities, promoting agri-based tourism and trade prospects. Mehreen & Underschultz [39] propose an agri-based industrial coexistence model which promotes local synergies between the CSG industry and local agribusinesses. The model given in Figure 5 schematically represents the potential synergies between entities involved in the cattle value chain and the CSG industry, specifically focussing on CSGAW (and brine in the case of leather processing).…”

Process design of coal seam gas associated water treatment plants to facilitate beneficial reuse

“…The salt content in the associated water is highly dependent upon the location of the CSG wells and typically ranges from 1,000 to 10,000 mg/L in Queensland [6,7]. Consequently, the associated water is normally not directly applicable for beneficial reuse options such as crop irrigation, livestock watering, dust suppression, aquaculture and drinking water [8].…”