NSW Cancels CBM Licence

The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has decided to buy back and cancel a gas exploration licence in the Central Coast region of the state.

Its minister for resources Don Harwin September 26 announced the buy-back and cancellation of Petroleum Exploration Licence 461, bringing an end to gas exploration on the NSW central coast, adding:  “The NSW government made a commitment to the community to cancel all petroleum exploration licences in the area."

With the buy-back and cancellation of PEL 461, the state has ensured that no gas exploration can take place on the central coast. PEL 461, granted in 2008, covered about 15,000 hectares around Wyee, Budgewoi and Swansea and was owned by the company, Our Energy Group.

“The NSW government has now reduced the footprint of coal seam gas exploration from more than 60% of the state under the Labor government to less than 7%,” Harwin said.

In recent years there have been a number of protests in Australia against coalbed methane (CBM) exploration. A number of states have banned onshore gas exploration including Victoria and South Australia.