Abandoned Queensland coal borehole found to be emitting 10,000 cars’ worth of greenhouse gas

The hole – about 100 metres deep – was not visible from the surface – and there could be thousands more like it

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A study of one abandoned coal exploration borehole in a Queensland paddock has found it was leaking the same amount of greenhouse gases in a year as about 10,000 cars – and there could be thousands more just like it.

Scientists at the University of Queensland also monitored a second coal exploration bore that was emitting about the same amount of methane and was forcing groundwater several metres into the air like a geyser.