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This is an imbroglio. We’ve seen Greenpeace take shots at the various mineral projects and now it's squaring up for a high stakes battle with a relative newcomer to the mining fold - oil shale. Both Greenpeace and its adversary Southern Pacific Petroleum (SPP) are investing heavily in a win.

One says that this is greenhouse-intensive oil that we don’t need. The other acknowledges it releases more carbon in its production phase but points to carbon advantages in its refining that significantly offset this and to the overwhelming strategic and economic benefit the project offers Australia.

Greenpeace has people working full-time on its opposition and SPP’s chairman Campbell Anderson is squaring up in the other corner with some strong arguments and more than a chairmanly interest in the outcome. Among mining’s hardheads, Anderson’s eloquence and good-humour stand out, and they represent for SPP a valuable antivenene for Greenpeace’s one-eyed and costly antics as they work to shut down the Stuart Project near Gladstone (where up to 200t/h is being processed at the $340m demonstration plant).

Anderson believes that this is the ‘most full on’ assault Greenpeace has mounted against a ‘mining’ project and rankles at its narrowly-focused, self-righteous will to ‘shape Australia’s energy policy’. Greenpeace fears a Stuart success would catapult a string of look-alikes into commercialisation around the world. Canada has long made oil from ‘tar sands’ but efficiently retorting the kerogen out of oil shale by burning the residual carbon in the shale is leading edge stuff. Success could give Australia one million barrels of oil per day for each of the next 50 years and make it a net exporter. Big stakes. The product will be an ultra-low sulphur naptha ideal clean diesel and jet fuel and for Asia’s shipping and other industrial uses.

Does a one-eyed Greenpeace and some shakey science have the moral right to stop this new industry cold? Come and meet their (rather large) new opponent and learn how this issue could touch our entire industry. Not to be missed!

The Forum is held at the Tattersalls Club at 181 Elizabeth St, Sydney (adjoining the Sheraton on the Park). There has been a relaxation of dress rules at the Tattersalls Club so ties and jackets are no longer required.

Thank you for supporting your Sydney Mining Club and for your interest in the current affairs and issues that drive our industry.

The Tattersalls Club is at 181 Elizabeth Street Sydney adjoining the Sheraton on the Park.