Hunter No. 2 CMWM New Flaring Project

Hunter No. 2 CMWM New Flaring Project is a coal mine waste gas project located within the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) mining complex, approximately 20 to 24 kilometers northwest of Singleton, New South Wales. The project appears to be situated near the "South Pit" or "Hunter Valley No. 2" section of the massive open-cut mine, which lies between the towns of Singleton and Muswellbrook. The area is dominated by intensive coal mining activities, though the broader Upper Hunter region is also renowned for viticulture, horse breeding, and grazing on the surrounding alluvial flats and undulating hills.

Registered in November 2016, the project was designed to capture fugitive methane emissions, specifically from coal mine waste gas, and destroy them using new flaring devices. Under the Coal Mine Waste Gas Methodology Determination 2015, this process converts methane (a potent greenhouse gas) into carbon dioxide, which has a lower global warming potential. The project proponent, Our Energy Group Pty Limited, secured a carbon abatement contract (CAC838267) to deliver 300,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) to the Commonwealth.

The local environment in this part of the Hunter Valley typically experiences moderate annual rainfall of around 640mm. The soils in the region are diverse, often consisting of alluvial loams near the Hunter River and texture-contrast soils (such as Sodosols or Kurosols) derived from the sedimentary coal measures on the slopes.

Despite its initial registration and contract, public records indicate the project did not proceed as planned. The carbon abatement contract was terminated or lapsed in November 2019 with zero credits delivered or sold. No ACCUs have been issued to this project, suggesting the flaring infrastructure may never have been fully commissioned or the commercial arrangement was abandoned. The "Hunter No. 2" designation historically refers to the Lemington/South Pit area which was merged into the larger Hunter Valley Operations complex in the early 2000s.