❓ A parliamentary question scrutinizes Bennett Resources' groundwater extraction application for its Kimberley operations, focusing on the justification for the requested volume, monitoring practices, and supporting studies. The Minister's response clarifies the licensing situation, water source, past usage, and the Department's assessment process.
AnsweredQoN 2025Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the advertisement placed by Kimberley
fracking company Bennett Resources Ltd, a subsidiary of Black Mountain Energy,
in the Broome Advertiser and The West Australian on 15 February 2024, of
an application under s5C of the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914 to take 102,800 kilolitre per annum (kL/annum) of
groundwater for the purposes of dust suppression, mining camp purposes,
rehabilitation purposes, stock water and water for the maintenance of
unconventional gas wells on EP371, and I ask: (a) apart from three groundwater extraction licences, GWL179166, GWL179134 and GWL167493, does Bennett Resources Ltd currently hold
any other groundwater extraction licences: (i) if yes to (a), for what amounts; and (ii) if yes to (a), from which aquifer or aquifers; (b) given that the three
groundwater licences held by Bennett Resources (GWL179166 – to take 39,400kL/annum, GWL179134 – to take 33,400kL/annum, and GWL 167493 – to take 30,000kL/annum) were initially licensed to Buru Energy in 2015
for the purpose of its fracking program ‘TGS15’, why is Bennett Resources’ new
application for 102,800kL/annum, which is the combined volume of the three previous
fracking-related licences, when there is no fracking taking place or imminent; (c) from which aquifer, or aquifers, does Bennett Resources
propose to take water under this new licence application; (d) for each of the five purposes specified in the
advertisement, what amount of groundwater has Bennett Resources taken in each
of the previous three financial years; (e) for each of the five purposes specified in the advertisement, from which bore, or bores, has groundwater been
extracted over the previous three financial
years; (f) in relation to (e), what quantity of water has been taken from each
of those bores for those specified purposes over the previous three financial
years; (g) from which bore, or bores, does Bennett Resources
propose to extract water under this new application, and in what annual amount
at each bore; (h) what studies or analyses has the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation conducted to determine that the amount specified in the application is
required for the purposes specified; (i) does Bennett Resources have any monitoring in
place at each of the proposed extraction bores: (i) if yes to (i), please describe the monitoring capability and
reporting mechanism; (j) have any hydrological studies been undertaken to
support this application: (i) if yes to (j), please table copies of these studies; and (k) what is the current status and timing of this
application?
fracking company Bennett Resources Ltd, a subsidiary of Black Mountain Energy,
in the Broome Advertiser and The West Australian on 15 February 2024, of
an application under s5C of the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914 to take 102,800 kilolitre per annum (kL/annum) of
groundwater for the purposes of dust suppression, mining camp purposes,
rehabilitation purposes, stock water and water for the maintenance of
unconventional gas wells on EP371, and I ask: (a) apart from three groundwater extraction licences, GWL179166, GWL179134 and GWL167493, does Bennett Resources Ltd currently hold
any other groundwater extraction licences: (i) if yes to (a), for what amounts; and (ii) if yes to (a), from which aquifer or aquifers; (b) given that the three
groundwater licences held by Bennett Resources (GWL179166 – to take 39,400kL/annum, GWL179134 – to take 33,400kL/annum, and GWL 167493 – to take 30,000kL/annum) were initially licensed to Buru Energy in 2015
for the purpose of its fracking program ‘TGS15’, why is Bennett Resources’ new
application for 102,800kL/annum, which is the combined volume of the three previous
fracking-related licences, when there is no fracking taking place or imminent; (c) from which aquifer, or aquifers, does Bennett Resources
propose to take water under this new licence application; (d) for each of the five purposes specified in the
advertisement, what amount of groundwater has Bennett Resources taken in each
of the previous three financial years; (e) for each of the five purposes specified in the advertisement, from which bore, or bores, has groundwater been
extracted over the previous three financial
years; (f) in relation to (e), what quantity of water has been taken from each
of those bores for those specified purposes over the previous three financial
years; (g) from which bore, or bores, does Bennett Resources
propose to extract water under this new application, and in what annual amount
at each bore; (h) what studies or analyses has the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation conducted to determine that the amount specified in the application is
required for the purposes specified; (i) does Bennett Resources have any monitoring in
place at each of the proposed extraction bores: (i) if yes to (i), please describe the monitoring capability and
reporting mechanism; (j) have any hydrological studies been undertaken to
support this application: (i) if yes to (j), please table copies of these studies; and (k) what is the current status and timing of this
application?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 June 2024
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Water
Response time
12 days
(a) No.
(b) Bennett Resources Pty Ltd hold one groundwater licence GWL179134(7). The licence was issued on 24 April 2024 and combined the groundwater allocations associated with GWL179166, GWL179134 and GWL167493. Activities authorised by a licence are not published in accordance with the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914.
(c) The unconfined Canning-Kimberley, Canning – Liveringa aquifer.
(d) Zero kilolitres was abstracted between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2023.
(e) Not Applicable
(f) Not Applicable
(g) The annual water entitlement can be taken from three authorised drawpoints as shown on the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s (DWER) Water Register.
(h) DWER considers the usage and volume requested when assessing an application, as well as the potential impacts of taking the groundwater.
(i) Yes.
(i) Monitoring details are contained in the licence conditions and these conditions are not published in accordance with the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914.
(j) No, in accordance with DWER’s Operational Policy 5.12 Hydrogeological reporting associated with a groundwater well licence .
(k) The application has been finalised.
(b) Bennett Resources Pty Ltd hold one groundwater licence GWL179134(7). The licence was issued on 24 April 2024 and combined the groundwater allocations associated with GWL179166, GWL179134 and GWL167493. Activities authorised by a licence are not published in accordance with the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914.
(c) The unconfined Canning-Kimberley, Canning – Liveringa aquifer.
(d) Zero kilolitres was abstracted between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2023.
(e) Not Applicable
(f) Not Applicable
(g) The annual water entitlement can be taken from three authorised drawpoints as shown on the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s (DWER) Water Register.
(h) DWER considers the usage and volume requested when assessing an application, as well as the potential impacts of taking the groundwater.
(i) Yes.
(i) Monitoring details are contained in the licence conditions and these conditions are not published in accordance with the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914.
(j) No, in accordance with DWER’s Operational Policy 5.12 Hydrogeological reporting associated with a groundwater well licence .
(k) The application has been finalised.
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