GAS company AGL is seeking government approval to develop four pilot wells using the controversial coal seam fracking technique for its Gloucester Valley project.
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AGL lodged a ‘Fracture Stimulation Management Plan’ on Tuesday for the Waukivory Pilot wells.
Drilling would occur about 600 metres away from homes at Forbesdale and roughly two kilometres from Gloucester, potentially falling under the government’s CSG buffer for residential areas.
Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham called on the Premier to apply the ban.
He said “All citizens of NSW, including the people of the Gloucester Valley, deserve the protection that Barry O’Farrell promised in February.”
Should it go ahead, the Waukivory Pilot could be the first approval for fracking the State has seen since it imposed its fracking moratorium, which ran from December 2011 to April 2012.
AGL’s manager for upstream gas, Mike Moraza, said the project will comply with regulations and “close community consultation will continue throughout the pilot project”.
He said the Gloucester project was important because NSW will need additional supplies of gas from 2016 and it will fill the looming shortfall “to meet the needs of NSW families, communities and businesses.
“Close community consultation will continue throughout the pilot project,” Mr Moraza said.
