The Adelaide-based operator of the $US18.5 ($A20.3) billion CSG-to-LNG project told Energy News it was “in the process of submitting an EIS [environmental impact statement] for additional wells, seeking approval for the development of up to an additional 6,100 wells in the project areas over the life of the project”

The company said the EIS for the drilling of 2650 wells “does not cover the entire amount of wells we would expect to drill over the next 20 years”

In a fact sheet posted on its website, Santos says the additional 6100 wells were part of its “Gas Field Development Project to secure has supply for the next 30 years.

“The project will commence in 2016 and will ensure we have the right plans in place to deliver our gas supply for the life of the Santos GLNG Project.

“The Gas Field Development Project is located across four local government areas including Maranoa, Western Downs, Banana and Central Highlands. The additional locations will expand the gas fields from approximately 6,887 square kilometres to 11,192 square kilometres.”

In the March 2012 quarter, Santos applied for environmental approval for 4100 wells in addition to the 2650 originally approved.

It is not clear whether the forthcoming EIS submission is a revision to the 4100 wells, or in addition to this figure.

In either case, the EIS application represents a large increase in the number of wells that Santos expects to drill over the life of the project.

This news follows a story by Energy News on Friday about an Energy Skills Queensland report that forecast the CSG-to-LNG industry would need at least 39,000 wells for six trains.

This figure is much higher than the planned number of CSG wells announced by APLNG, QCLNG and GLNG.