Review of CSG-induced subsidence

Queensland’s resources and agricultural sectors are vital to our economy and the success of our regions, so it’s important that they coexist well together.

Our coexistence framework supports interactions between these sectors; however, there are still some challenges, such as the issue of coal seam gas (CSG)-induced subsidence and its potential impact on farming operations.

CSG-induced subsidence occurs where groundwater is extracted by gas companies to allow gas production to occur, leading to compaction of the coal seams and possible surface-level subsidence.

In November 2022, the Gasfields Commission Queensland (now Coexistence Queensland) reviewed the regulatory framework for CSG-induced subsidence in response to Dalby and Cecil Plains landholders’ concerns about its impact on their high-value agricultural land. The review found that the current regulatory environment is complex and lacks clear jurisdictional responsibility for regulating CSG-induced subsidence. It identified several issues:

existing protections are untested
there are knowledge gaps regarding potential impacts
protections for farming operations are inconsistent
there is no clear pathway for impact assessment or dispute resolution.

The review resulted in 8 recommendations to government, which were all supported or supported in principle. Read more about our response to the GFCQ’s review of CSQ-induced subsidence (PDF, 145KB).

In July 2023, the Gasfields Commission Queensland released a follow up report detailing the potential consequences of CSG-induced subsidence for farming operations on the Condamine alluvial floodplain and five additional recommendations for Government.

Government will continue to work with stakeholders to quantify the extent and impact of CSG-induced subsidence and any required regulatory response.

Last updated: 28 May 2025
Last reviewed: 21 February 2023