The purpose of the Centre is to contribute to the sector via research, education as well as independent science and evidence-based advice to stakeholders, e.g. government/regulator, community and industry. In several ways, the advice provided ranges from ad hoc requests from stakeholders by email to more structured involvement of UQ researchers.
Community science updates
The Centre has undertaken briefings, mainly around social performance and groundwater science in numerous events over the last five years, often collaborating with organisations such as AgForce, the Queensland GasFields Commission or the LNG Compliance Unit. These are generally used to update the public in the regions on emerging research insights or on broader matters related to the gas and energy sectors.
Science briefings to regulatory staff or advisors
The Centre has held meetings and presentations as research briefings to DEHP, DNRM, DSITIA, Coordinator General and OGIA staff. The Centre also hosted the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development (IESC) to discuss the research program including recent research on well decommissioning in August 2017.
Parliamentary briefings
The Centre has held two Queensland Parliamentary briefings, collaborating with CSIRO/GISERA, which were intended to brief parliamentarians on new science and new insights.
Regulatory advisory bodies
The Gas and Energy Transition Research Centre Director and Professors have been members of several government advisory groups. This includes as the Queensland Code of Practice for the Construction and Decommissioning of CSG Wells, the Queensland Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate’s Safety & Health (upstream) Stakeholder Engagement Committee, the Queensland Geological Survey’s Exploration Advisory Group, and the Surat Cumulative Management Area Technical Advisory Panel.
Government inquiries
The Centre regularly makes submissions to State and Federal government inquiries.
Previous submissions made by the Centre to government include:
- Centre submission to the DIICCSRTE Technical Discussion Paper on Coal Seam Gas: Enhanced Estimation and Reporting of Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination, April 2013
- Centre submission to the Inquiry into Unconventional Gas in Victoria, August 2015
- Centre submission to the Australian Senate Select Committee Inquiry on Unconventional Gas Mining, March 2016
- Centre submission to the Gasfields Commission Queensland Independent Review, May 2016
- Centre submission to the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory, August 2017
Contributions to government studies
The majority of the Centre’s work is published in conferences or peer reviewed journal articles. However, there may also be occasional contributions to government reports such as the Commonwealth Government’s Office of Chief Economist, Review of the Socioeconomic Impacts of Coal Seam Gas in Queensland and the Queensland Gas Supply Demand Action Plan.
For more information
If your organisation is interested in knowing more about the advice that we can provide or want to discuss options, please contact Professor David Close, Centre Director, at gas-energy@uq.edu.au