Proof of CSG drilling under family homes in Sydney
FIRST ON 7: When Pierre Power and his family bought their Narrellan Vale home a year ago they did not know what they would be living next to.
Evidence has been found in maps, obtained under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, which show the suburban tunnels extending by as much as two kilometres underground from the well head.
"I had no idea when I moved in at all," local Pierre Power told 7News.
"I've got three children and I moved to this area [because] I thought the air is cleaner."
It's a belief shaken last August by a toxic leak from a coal seam gas operation near their home.
Now Pierre says it's constantly on his mind.
"My eldest son, he's had a few nose bleeds. I'm not sure if it's related, but it's a concern. He never had them before."
Maps obtained from gas company AGL through FOI confirm just how close homes really are.
They show how from a single well drilling reaches under residents at Narrellan Vale, Mount Annan and Spring Farm.
"They were never told that these wells are drilled directly under their homes," the Lock The Gate Alliance's Daniel Robbins said.
Wells are sunk around 500 metres with horizontal lines spreading the search for gas over kilometres.
The State Government has restricted coal seam gas exploration to no closer than two kilometres from resident areas, but says it was powerless to do anything about drilling already underway, even if it is under homes.
The Resources Minister blames the previous Labor Government.
"Well unfortunately, and I certainly feel for the residents, we've inherited this," Anthony Roberts told 7News.
