Wednesday, March 28

Gas could be just as dirty as coal, study reveals

COAL seam gas, widely touted as a greener fuel than coal, could have just as deep a carbon footprint unless world-class standards are used when extracting the gas from the ground, an expert report has found.

A study into the life-cycle greenhouse emissions of Australia's energy sources by consultancy WorleyParsons found conventional gas from large offshore wells typically produced 38 per cent less greenhouse emissions than black coal, largely because it burnt more cleanly.

But the equation could shift dramatically for the fledgling coal seam gas industry - the subject of a fierce political battle in NSW and Queensland - if meticulous standards were not followed when the gas was extracted from the ground.

SMH

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