“The map in the draft regional plan simply identifies significant resources and industries across the area,” the Department of Planning and Environment said in a statement.
“It does not indicate that coal seam gas extraction will occur.”
The Department of Planning and Environment said it is encouraging the community to make submissions on the draft Plan until Thursday, 2 June 2016.
Metgasco said it had been offered the cash offer to hand back PEL 13, PEL 16 and PEL 426, three permits that once contained the state’s largest 3P gas reserves.
It effectively leaves Santos’ project at Narrabri as the only real CSG initiative left in the south-eastern states.
In addition to the cancellation of the permits, Metgasco also terminated its legal action seeking compensation for the Rosella well and its stalled licences.
It ends any plans for a power project at Casino and several pipeline opportunities, and even an LNG project the company briefly considered in happier times
