Water reporting for petroleum and gas activities
Water reporting requirements depend on whether the water is 'associated' or 'non-associated'.
- Associated underground water is any underground water that you take or interfere with while (or as a result of) carrying out an authorised activity on your resource authority (e.g. water taken during petroleum production testing or production).
- Non-associated water is any other water (e.g. water taken from a water bore).
Use the menu below to find out about your water reporting and notification requirements for petroleum and gas resource activities. Click on a heading to either expand or collapse the heading content.
Associated underground water
Associated underground water
Associated water take and use is authorised under the Petroleum & Gas (Production & Safety) Act 2004 or the Petroleum Act 1923. The take of associated water for either production testing or production triggers additional reporting requirements under Chapter 3 of the Water Act 2000.
You must notify and report to us when you produce associated water from wells on your authority. You must also notify us and provide a report before the tenure ends and the production activities end.
This page explains how to meet your notification and reporting obligations under Queensland water legislation.
Surat Cumulative Management Area (CMA)
If your petroleum resource authority is located inside of the declared Surat CMA (PDF, 608KB), you may have monitoring and other obligations under the Surat underground water impact report.
Resource authorities this applies to
- Authority to prospect
- Petroleum lease
Before starting activities
Check notification requirements for land access, road use and operating plant.
How to lodge your notices and reports
The tables below show what you need to submit and how to do it. If you need more help:
- refer to the legislation (references in the tables below)
- read about lodging reports into QDEX Reports
- read the Quick guide - make good obligations - ESR/2016/2681 (PDF, 463KB)
- read the Guideline - Underground water impact reports and final reports - ESR/2016/2000 (PDF, 602KB)
- read about the baseline assessment process and access documentation to help you submit baseline assessment information.
Baseline assessments
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
Baseline assessment plan (WA1 s. 397, 398) | Before the day production testing or testing starts on the resource tenure |
Email, post or deliver to Resource Sector Regulation & Support, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
|
|
Notice of intention to undertake baseline assessment (WA s. 403) | At least 10 business days before undertaking a baseline assessment | Give to bore owner |
| ESR/2016/1918 - Outcome of baseline assessment (DOCX, 152KB) (WA s. 405) | 30 business days after undertaking the baseline assessment |
Email or post to Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment
|
1WA: Water Act 2000
Underground water impact reports (outside CMA)
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
Underground water impact report (WA1 s. 370) |
Initial report: 14 months after production testing or production commenced on the resource tenure Subsequent reports: within 10 business days after the 3rd anniversary of the day the first underground water impact report took effect |
Email, post or deliver to Resource Sector Regulation & Support, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
|
|
Public notice (WA s. 382) | At least 2 months before an underground impact report is submitted |
Publish notice as required by Chief Executive of the Water Act Provide a copy to each water bore owner in the area of the report |
|
Submissions summary (WA s. 383) | Must accompany an underground water impact report |
Email, post or deliver to Resource Sector Regulation & Support, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection:
|
1WA: Water Act 2000
Notice of closure and final reports (outside CMA)
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
Notice of closure (WA1 s. 372) |
1 year before the resource tenure ends or when the tenure is surrendered |
Email, post or deliver to Resource Sector Regulation & Support, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
|
|
Final report (WA s. 374) | Within the period stated in the notice received from the Chief Executive |
Email, post or deliver to Resource Sector Regulation & Support, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
|
|
Public notice (WA s. 382) | At least 2 months before a final report is submitted |
Publish notice as required by Chief Executive of the Water Act Provide a copy to each water bore owner in the area of the report |
|
Submissions summary (WA s. 383) | Must accompany final report |
Email, post or deliver to Resource Sector Regulation & Support, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
|
1WA: Water Act 2000
Make good agreements and bore assessments
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
| Negotiate general agreement (WA1 s. 406) | From when production testing or production commences, and until there is a underground water impact report for the tenure | Give to bore owner |
| Notice of intention to undertake bore assessment (WA s. 415) | At least 10 business days before undertaking a bore assessment | Give to bore owner |
| ESR/2016/2392 - Outcome of bore assessment (DOCX, 205KB) (WA s. 419) | Within 30 business days after undertaking a bore assessment |
Email or post to Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment
|
|
Make good agreement (WA s. 423) | Within 40 business days after the bore assessment is undertaken | Give to bore owner |
1WA: Water Act 2000
Non-associated water
Non-associated water
Changes to the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 mean that you will now need authorisation under Chapter 2 of the Water Act 2000 to take non-associated underground water.
These changes do not apply to resource authorities administered under the Petroleum Act 1923. Instead the water licences issued under that Act will include a condition regarding your reporting obligations. These reports will be lodged in the same way.
You can continue to take non-associated underground water during a 2-year transitional period or for 5 years if the resource authority is within the Surat Cumulative Management Area. During the transitional period, you must report the volume of non-associated underground water you take.
This page explains how to meet your reporting obligations under Queensland water legislation.
Who this applies to
- Authority to prospect
- Petroleum lease
Before starting activities
For resource authorities issued since 6 December 2016, make sure you have the required water licences and/or permits.
How to lodge your notices and reports
The table below shows what you need to submit and how to do it. If you need more help:
- read about what is associated and non-associated water
- refer to the legislation (references in the table below)
- read about lodging reports into QDEX Reports.
| Report/notice and legislation | When to lodge | How to lodge |
|---|---|---|
|
Six-monthly water volume report (P&G Act1 s. 186(4)) (General Regs2 s. 54-57 ) | Within 20 business days of the end of each 6-month data collection period (1 July to 31 December, 1 January to 30 June) |
Complete the water volume report template (XLS, 211KB) Upload report template as a zipped Excel file to QDEX Reports selecting the Geoscience Data Component types |
1P&G Act: Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004
2General Regs: Petroleum and Gas (General Provisions) Regulation 2017
Further information
For help or enquiries, contact the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy through your local business centre.
- Last reviewed: 31 Aug 2017
- Last updated: 22 Mar 2018