Origin Energy ignores coal seam gas well leaks, whistleblower says

Statement of claim lodged at federal court alleges that a general manager said company calculated it was cheaper to pay fines than comply with regulations

Origin Energy has had a deliberate policy of ignoring coal seam gas wells that have been leaking and an offshore gas well that has potentially been leaking for more than a decade, a corporate whistleblower has alleged.

The claims, filed in a revised statement of claim to the federal court and denied by Origin Energy, suggest Origin also failed to properly measure the amount of gas it was producing and therefore underpaid its royalties to the Queensland government - something the whistleblower says senior management were alerted to but also ignored.