Queensland farmer Brock Simpkins yesterday with the first of 11 CSG wells to be placed on his property. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen Source: The Australian
WHEN Brock Simpkins's family bought 713ha of prime agricultural land southwest of Dalby five years ago, the idea was to breed cattle and improve the value of the land, then sell up for a profit.
That was before coal-seam gas came to this part of the Darling Downs. At the moment, there is only one exploratory well on the Simpkins family's land, but Queensland Gas has a further 10 planned.
The Simpkinses have received compensation for the first exploration well but have no way of knowing how much they will get for the next 10, how much they will get if those wells turn into production wells, or even when this will happen.
"We're trying to run a business and it's very hard when you don't know what's going to be happening in a few years and so you can't plan ahead," Mr Simpkins said.
The Australian
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