Drilling By-Product Management Trial

Drilling By-Product Management Trial

Project Details 

From April 2017-April 2018, The client commissioned Summit Earth (Summit) to undertake a land application trial, whereby Residual Drilling Material (RDM) is applied to the land at known application rates: 20m3/ha, 50m3/ha, 100m3/ha and 150m3/ha. The primary focus of this trial is to assess impacts on vegetation health, biodiversity and density 

The trial area, owned by the client. is located at Pleasant Hills which is located approximately 40 km north east of the township of Roma and is characterized by undulating terrain. The dominant vegetation types including eucalyptus and/or brigalow woodlands, blue grass or mitchell grass downs, and smaller areas of white cypress pine and mulga (Eddie 2007).

The trial area was selected by the client and the demarcation of trial plots undertaken by Summit The trial area was selected in accordance with regulatory approval obligations so that the following three (3) overarching environmental outcomes would be achieved:

1. No adverse impact to environmental receptors. 

2. No adverse impact to crop / pasture productivity. 

3. No adverse impact to soil structure / stability. 

Much of the trial area has been subject to broad scale historical clearing, cattle grazing and other agricultural practices. The current land use is primarily cattle grazing and has been subject to previous development associated with the gas fields.

Unique Challenges and Successes

• Budget constraints 

• Adverse weather conditions 

• Livestock management 

• Species biodiversity