AN application that would have seen Coal Seam Gas exploration in Dubbo has been refused.
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Central Coast company CEEMAC had put forward three Petroleum Exploration Licence Applications (PELA) near Dubbo, Coolah, Lithgow and in parts of the Blue Mountains.
They were refused by the NSW Office of Coal Seam Gas because CEEMAC 'had not provided satisfactory evidence of matters required to be provided' under the Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991.
The application for a PELAs 159 and 160 in respect to land near Coolah and Duboob were submitted on February 17.
The map provided showed that PELA 160 referred to ground in the Narromine, Gilgandra, Warrumbungle and Mid-Western Regional local government areas was within the application's boundaries.
PELA 159 referred to areas of Coolah and Binnaway that were also under consideration.
Minister for Resources and Energy Anthony Roberts said the Office of Coal Seam Gas did as CEEMAC for additional evidence to support their application on August 1.
"The Office of Coal Seam Gas has refused the three PELAs for the reason that the evidence supplied in support of the applications was not satisfactory," Mr Roberts said.
A Petroleum Exploration Licence would have allowed CEEMAC 'exploration for all types of petroleum within the licence area including coal seam gas.'
While exploration licences covered a large area of land, exploration activities were not allowed in areas such as national parks or in the gazetted two-kilometre exclusion zone around homes in cities, towns and villages.