Coal seam gas in Australia's progression to a low carbon economy
The previous decade has witnessed an unprecedented increase in societal appreciation for the existence of climate change and its associated impacts. One need only look to the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for evidence—between 1990 and 2007, scientific acceptance of the anthropogenic nature of climate change has risen from merely perhaps in 1990 to a certainty of 90% in 2007. As governments look to create imposts on the very emissions causing climate change, be it through emissions trading schemes (ETS) or through carbon taxes, an equally stark appreciation has occurred in relation to the need to switch to low emissions fuel source in the absence of carbon capture and storage. In contrast to the introduction of the EU ETS, fuel switching in Australia will be more problematic—now Australia sources only a small fraction of its energy supply from renewable energy sources and it will take some time for this to change. What is therefore needed, is a transition fuel—a fuel that will provide Australia with a stepping stone to a sustainable future while at the same time ensuring the security of our energy supply. Coal seam gas (CSG) could play an important part in this progression. Its role is not, however, without its complexities. In a world of daily regulatory and market developments, the CSG industry will need to incorporate both Australian and international climate change issues into its development plans - its physical, reputational, regulatory and market risks and opportunities. This extended abstract will examine the links between these exposures and the future growth potential of the industry.