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The controversial Stuart Shale Oil Project in Queensland has been mothballed indefinitely
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For the first time since 1999 shale oil is not being produced in Australia.
Greenpeace climate campaigner Gareth Walton said that a fully developed shale oil industry would have increased Australia’s greenhouse pollution by more than 200 percent, meaning more severe droughts, bushfires and coral bleaching.
“This is a major victory for the environment, for local people who were getting sick from the plant's emissions and for Greenpeace and all the other groups and the thousands of individuals who participated in the campaign against shale oil,” he said.
“Despite major support from the Federal Government, including offering a subsidy to the shale oil project’s former owner on the condition it take legal action against Greenpeace, we have stopped the development of this polluting industry,” Walton said.
It was recently revealed that former Project owner Southern Pacific Petroleum was offered a sales grant worth nearly $55 per barrel of shale in 2002 by the government on the condition that the company sue Greenpeace.
The current owner of the Stuart project, Queensland Energy Resources (QER), has previously said it will continue with plans to develop Stage 2 of the project, which has been unable to get government environmental approval to date.
The Stage 2 environmental impact statement (EIS) is currently suspended while QER decide whether to proceed with it or not, a process which will take 12-18 months. Greenpeace believes that Stage 2 will not be built.
“The Stuart Project was an experiment that never should have been started. Industry and governments should be developing sustainable industries like clean renewable energy, rather than unsustainable industries like shale oil which put the environment, worker’s jobs and local people’s health at risk.”
Greenpeace has been campaigning against the development of a shale oil industry in Australia since 1998.
Greenpeace climate campaigner Gareth Walton said that a fully developed shale oil industry would have increased Australia’s greenhouse pollution by more than 200 percent, meaning more severe droughts, bushfires and coral bleaching.
“This is a major victory for the environment, for local people who were getting sick from the plant's emissions and for Greenpeace and all the other groups and the thousands of individuals who participated in the campaign against shale oil,” he said.
“Despite major support from the Federal Government, including offering a subsidy to the shale oil project’s former owner on the condition it take legal action against Greenpeace, we have stopped the development of this polluting industry,” Walton said.
It was recently revealed that former Project owner Southern Pacific Petroleum was offered a sales grant worth nearly $55 per barrel of shale in 2002 by the government on the condition that the company sue Greenpeace.
The current owner of the Stuart project, Queensland Energy Resources (QER), has previously said it will continue with plans to develop Stage 2 of the project, which has been unable to get government environmental approval to date.
The Stage 2 environmental impact statement (EIS) is currently suspended while QER decide whether to proceed with it or not, a process which will take 12-18 months. Greenpeace believes that Stage 2 will not be built.
“The Stuart Project was an experiment that never should have been started. Industry and governments should be developing sustainable industries like clean renewable energy, rather than unsustainable industries like shale oil which put the environment, worker’s jobs and local people’s health at risk.”
Greenpeace has been campaigning against the development of a shale oil industry in Australia since 1998.
