scholarly journals Explaining the “ebb and flow” of the problem stream: frame conflicts over the future of coal seam gas (“fracking”) in Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 521-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Fawcett ◽  
Michael J. Jensen ◽  
Hedda Ransan-Cooper ◽  
Sonya Duus

AbstractWhy do issues “fade” from the problem stream? This is an important but underresearched question, which this article examines by looking at the dynamic interaction between frames and frame sponsors. We develop a novel methodological approach that combines algorithmic coding (topic modelling) with hand-coding to track changes in the presence of frames and frame sponsors during periods of intense problematisation (“problem windows”) both within continuous contexts and diachronically across different contexts. We apply this approach empirically in a corpus of newspaper articles that pertain to the coal seam gas controversy in Australia – a divisive policy issue where frame conflicts are common. We find that elite actors have a particularly decisive impact on the problem stream in terms of both the evolution and duration of debate. Further, problem windows close in response to three different mechanisms: elite frame convergence; public statements (by government and industry); and elections.

2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 940
Author(s):  
Mark Reilly ◽  
Suzanne Hurter ◽  
Zsolt Hamerli ◽  
Claudio L. de Andrade Vieira Filho ◽  
Andrew LaCroix ◽  
...  

The stratigraphy of the Surat Basin, Queensland, has historically been sub-divided by formation and unit nomenclature with a few attempts by other authors to apply sequence stratigraphy to existing formation boundaries. At a local- to field-scale, lithostratigraphy may be able to represent stratigraphy well, but at regional-scale, lithostratigraphic units are likely to be diachronous. To date, this lithology-driven framework does not accurately reflect time relationships in the sub-surface. An entirely new integrated methodological approach, involving well tied seismic data and sequence stratigraphic well-to-well correlations compared with published zircon age dates, has been applied to hundreds of deep wells and shallower coal seam gas wells. This method sub-divides the Surat Basin stratigraphy into defendable 2nd order to 3rd order sequence stratigraphic cycles and has required the use of an alpha-numeric sequence stratigraphic nomenclature to adequately and systematically label potential time equivalent surfaces basin-wide. Correlation of wells is the first step in building models of aquifers and coal seam gas fields for numerical simulation of fluid flow, which is necessary for responsible resource management. Lithostratigraphic correlations will overestimate the extent and hydraulic connectedness of the strata of interest. The result may be fluid flow models that do not represent a realistic pressure footprint of the flow. The present sequence stratigraphic method more accurately reflects the disconnectedness of sub-surface coals and sandstones (aquifers) on a field-to-field scale, adjacent field-scale, and basin-wide scale. It forms the basis for improved and more representative modelling of the sub-surface.


2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
Tamara Sebire

2010 was another busy year for Australian hydrocarbon production and development. Natural gas production was the standout performer with both domestic gas and LNG production increasing by about 5% compared to 2009. Domestic gas output was strong with significant growth in production from the Gippsland Basin, coal seam methane in the Surat-Bowen Basin, and the start-up of the Blacktip gas project in WA. Domestic gas output is set to reach record levels again next year and has strong growth prospects in the future with final investment decisions being taken on coal seam gas projects in Queensland and the Macedon project in WA. Australian LNG production increased 4.5% in 2010 accounting for 34% of Australian hydrocarbon production. LNG production will grow further in 2011 with first gas expected from Pluto LNG project during the year. Oil production was steady in 2010; however, it is set to increase in 2011 with a full year of production from the Van Gogh and Pyrenees projects. Production levels only tell part of the Australian hydrocarbon story. In addition to the proposed domestic gas and oil projects, the combined value of committed and potential LNG projects in Australia has surpassed $100 billion. A highlight of 2010 was the final investment decision on the A$15 bn Queensland Curtis LNG Project (QCLNG). The first phase of QCLNG will consist of two LNG trains with a combined capacity of 8.5 million tonnes per annum, with first LNG exports expected in 2014. QCLNG is the first of many proposed coal seam gas to LNG (CSG-LNG) developments in Queensland. Other CSG-LNG projects reached significant milestones this year. Of particular note is the federal environmental approval of Gladstone LNG and state environmental approval of Australia Pacific LNG. In WA, the Browse LNG project complied with all Browse Basin retention lease conditions and remains on track for a targeted final investment decision in 2012. Other major LNG projects including Ichthys and Wheatstone also continue to make positive progress towards a final investment decision in the next 24 months. Sunrise, Prelude and Bonaparte LNG set a technology milestone in the industry with all three selecting floating LNG (FLNG) as their preferred development concept. 2010 has also seen the emergence of further new technologies in the form of small scale LNG projects for resources previously considered un-commercial. This has opened the door for South Australia and New South Wales to enter the LNG export market in the future. The Australian hydrocarbon industry continues to grow and its global importance, particularly in LNG, reflected by the increasing number of foreign companies entering Australia. In 2010, Shell and PetroChina increased their involvement in the Australian industry purchasing Arrow Energy for A$3.5 bn. CNOOC has increased its involvement in a number of areas, including purchasing a 5–10% stake in QCLNG and investment in CSM exploration through Exoma Energy. GDF Suez and Total have reinvigorated their interests in offshore WA and Petrobras made their first entry into Australia acquiring an interest in exploration acreage offshore WA. 2010 was an active year for Australian hydrocarbon production and development–continued success depends on the successful execution of committed and proposed projects. Escalation of development costs and a looming skills shortage remain the largest risks to the Australian hydrocarbon industry as multiple projects attempt to move forward simultaneously.


Author(s):  
Paul Fawcett ◽  
Matthew Wood

The coal seam gas industry and its future in New South Wales (Australia) is an extremely contentious policy issue that encompasses multiple policy actors and a wide variety of concerns. This chapter examines the NSW Government’s attempt to meta-govern this policy domain through storytelling. It does so by creating a link between ‘discursive’ depoliticization, statecraft, and storytelling as a strategy of meta-governance. We focus on three stories in particular—energy security, economic growth, and ‘credible science’—and argue that they have had simultaneously politicizing and depoliticizing effects. We argue that this has provided different policy actors with the opportunity to engage in ‘discursive hopping’ whereby the same story has been used to both politicize and depoliticize the issue. We argue that there is a need to ‘call out’ political actors who attempt to ‘change the subject’ of political debate by ‘hopping’ between issues in a poorly justified way.


2021 ◽  
pp. 074171362110053
Author(s):  
Tracey Ollis

This case study research examines informal adult learning in the Lock the Gate Alliance, a campaign against mining for coal seam gas in Central Gippsland, Australia. In the field of the campaign, circumstantial activists learn to think critically about the environment, they learn informally and incidentally, through socialization with experienced activists from and through nonformal workshops provided by the Environmental Nongovernment Organization Friends of the Earth. This article uses Bourdieu’s “theory of practice,” to explore the mobilization of activists within the Lock the Gate Alliance field and the practices which generate knowledge and facilitate adult learning. These practices have enabled a diverse movement to educate the public and citizenry about the serious threat fracking poses to the environment, to their land and water supply. The movements successful practices have won a landmark moratorium on fracking for coal seam gas in the State of Victoria.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianzhi Shi ◽  
Dazhao Song ◽  
Ziwei Qian

AbstractCoal and gas outbursts are the result of several geological factors related to coal seam gas (coal seam gas pressureTo classify the outburst hazard level of a coal seam by means of statistical methods, this study considered the geological parameters of coal seam gas and statistical data on the amount of material involved in coal outbursts. Through multivariate regression analysis, a multivariate regression equation between the outburst coal quantity andUsing a significance evaluation of the aforementioned factors, the relative contributions of the gas-related geological parameters to the outburst hazard level of a coal seam were found to follow the orderThis work provides a scientific basis for evaluating the outburst hazard level of a coal seam and adopting feasible and economical outburst-prevention measures.


2017 ◽  
Vol 131 ◽  
pp. 300-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna (Anya) Phelan ◽  
Les Dawes ◽  
Robert Costanza ◽  
Ida Kubiszewski

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