Leigh Creek Energy

Leigh Creek Energy is an ASX listed Australian company which is developing an in-situ coal gasification (ISG) project at Leigh Creek, South Australia.

Leigh Creek Energy Project

Leigh Creek Energy holds petroleum licences over the large coal deposit which spans approximately seven kilometres at Leigh Creek.[1] The company's flagship Leigh Creek Energy Project intends to produce gas at the site of the former Leigh Creek coal mine and distribute it to the eastern states of Australia via existing pipeline networks. The project also intends to develop a fertiliser production facility using waste gas streams and ammonium nitrate explosives for use by South Australia's mining sector. The LCEP will also generate electricity via gas turbines to supply the project and Leigh Creek township.[2][3]

History

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the company "undertook a back-door listing on the ASX earlier this year using the shell of the former Marathon Resources."[1]

Project planning commenced in 2011, and an exploration license was obtained by the company in November 2014.

In October 2015, two non-executive directors of Leigh Creek Energy resigned. The outgoing directors were former South Australian politician and political lobbyist, Chris Schacht[4] and Peter Williams.[5] Both were previously directors of Marathon Resources,[6][7] and their departure marked "the transition of the company from its previous endeavours, to the new management direction as an energy company."[5]

Current Executive Chairman Justyn Peters is a former executive general manager of Linc Energy Ltd. Between 2006 and 2012 he managed Linc's trial in-situ coal gasification project in Chinchilla, Queensland. In April 2016 the company entered voluntary administration,[8] after being committed to stand trial in March 2016 on five charges related to breaches of environmental regulations.[9] The process of "underground coal gasification" has been banned in Queensland.[10][11]

In October 2015, David Shearwood stated that the company aimed to be producing gas via in-situ coal gasification at Leigh Creek within three years.[12]

On 12 April, Leigh Creek Energy received approval for its Statement of Environmental Objectives.[13] The company intends to run a pilot project and produce syngas for a period of 2-3 months in order to trial processes and sample gas quality.[14]

First stage plant module construction was completed in May 2018, with next stage plant construction expected to occur during the third quarter of 2018.[15]

Governance

As of June 2017, the company's CEO is Phil Staveley, and its Executive Chairman is Justyn Peters with Non-Executive Independent Directors, Gregory English and Murray Chatfield.[16]

Lobbying

As of 1 April 2018, Leigh Creek Energy is represented to the South Australian parliament by political lobbyist and former leader of the South Australian division of the Liberal Party of Australia, Iain Evans. It is also represented by former company director, and retired Labor party politician, Chris Schacht.[17]

Opposition

Opposition to the project has been voiced by the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association,[18] and the William Light Foundation. The latter has been supported by groundwater experts Gavin Mudd and Matthew Currell, both of RMIT, who expressed their view that the environmental risks associated with the project had been understated by the proponent.[19]

References

  1. 1 2 "Coal makes way for gas. Leigh Creek Energy eyes $1bn project as Alinta bows out". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  2. ↑ "Leigh Creek Energy Limited > Our Business > Leigh Creek Energy Project". www.lcke.com.au. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  3. ↑ "Gas lifeline thrown to embattled Leigh Creek - InDaily | Adelaide News". InDaily | Adelaide News. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  4. ↑ "Share Price & Information - ASX". www.asx.com.au. Retrieved 2015-10-17.
  5. 1 2 "Leigh Creek Energy Limited ASX Announcement" (PDF). 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  6. ↑ "Peter Williams is chairman of Marathon Resources". ABC News. 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  7. ↑ "The Hon. Chris Schacht - The Australia China Development Company". The Australia China Development Company. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  8. ↑ Legal action against Linc grinds to halt The Advertiser, 15 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  9. ↑ Linc Energy to stand trial over alleged gas breach at Chinchilla trial site ABC News, 11 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  10. ↑ UCG banned immediately in Queensland, laws to follow, Mines Minister Anthony Lynham says ABC News, 18 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-06.<
  11. ↑ "Coal gasification ban 'a surprise' to Linc Energy administrator". ABC News. 2016-04-27. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  12. ↑ Evans, Simon (2015-10-12). "Coal makes way for gas as Leigh Creek Energy eyes $1b project". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2017-10-13.
  13. ↑ "Leigh Creek Energy In-Situ Gasification". petroleum.statedevelopment.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-05-10.
  14. ↑ "Leigh Creek Energy Underground Coal Gasification Pre-commercial Demonstration Project | Engineers Australia". www.engineersaustralia.org.au. Retrieved 2018-05-10.
  15. ↑ "Leigh Creek modules complete — Gas Today". Gas Today. Retrieved 2018-05-10.
  16. ↑ "Leigh Creek Energy Limited > About Us > Our People - Board". 2017-06-08. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  17. ↑ "South Australian Register of Lobbyists - Chris Schacht" (PDF). 2018-01-24.
  18. ↑ Balsamo, Marco (2018-04-16). "ATLA: 'Heal our country'". The Transcontinental. Retrieved 2018-05-10.
  19. ↑ "Experts urge caution over Leigh Creek project's environmental risks - InDaily". InDaily. 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2018-05-10.
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