QGC's Northern Water Treatment Plant at Woleebee Creek, west of Wandoan in the Western Downs, Queensland

Water management

Find out about QGC’s water management and beneficial use of water.

Natural gas in coal seams is held in place by the pressure of groundwater. The water is pumped to the surface by wells, relieving this pressure and allowing gas to flow and be collected. Under Queensland legislation, gas companies are permitted to extract groundwater during gas production.

With this ability to extract groundwater comes the obligation to treat the water for beneficial use and to "make good" any impact on existing water users.

We pay for and operate the infrastructure required to gather and treat the water we produce. This enables us to provide water for beneficial use on farms, by industry and to supplement local town water supplies.

QGC has invested more than A$2 billion on water-related treatment infrastructure, research, modelling, monitoring and management.

QGC's Groundwater Monitoring Data (PDF)

In this section

Groundwater and geology

What does the earth look like in the area QGC is active and how do our activities affect the geology.

Water treatment

QGC's water management strategy is to treat water for beneficial use.

Beneficial use of water

QGC aims to reuse water generated in or used for its operations. Find out more about two partnerships resulting in beneficial use of water solutions.

Water monitoring and measurement

QGC's monitoring network will measure and record groundwater pressure and quality; to help us understand and manage any impact associated.

Salt production

QGC's approach to CSG water management is to maximize the use of this valuable resource. The QGC water treatment plants recover 97% of CSG water for beneficial use. The residual 3% (brine) is currently safely stored in purpose built, dedicated ponds.

Regulation of water

Information about the federal water-related approval conditions Shell QGC has to comply with.

Water management reports

Water monitoring and management plans, water management annual reports and the Surat North Development Water Resource Monitoring and Management Plan

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We operate a LNG plant on Curtis Island, and natural gas operations which include wells, compression stations and processing plants.

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