ESSO Australia has rejected claims by Friends of the Earth that it is about to dump tens of thousands of tonnes of contaminated steel into Bass Strait.
Friends of the Earth’s Offshore Fossil Gas Campaigner, Jeff Waters says the plan involves towing more than a dozen multi-storey topsides and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of other waste to the middle of the internationally listed Corner Inlet Ramsar site.
Topsides are the mechanical parts of an offshore drilling platform visible above the waterline.
The Corner Inlet Ramsar site is the most southerly marine tidal mudflat system of mainland Australia covering an area of sixty-seven thousand hectares and includes all of the Corner Inlet Marine and Coastal Park, most of Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park and private land on Sunday Island, Dog Island, Little Dog Island and Bullock Island.
Friends of the Earth say the drilling platform topsides are riddled with huge amounts of asbestos, thousands of tonnes of hazardous radioactive material, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, plastics and other toxins.
Esso says it has operated its offshore platforms in Bass Strait in a safe and environmentally responsible manner for more than fifty years.
A recent diesel spill between two oil rigs during decommissioning operations was described as a significant threat to the environment.
Esso says routine observations at the Marlin-B gas production rig identified overfilling of a diesel storage tank caused by equipment failure.
The regulator overseeing the offshore oil and methane gas industry in Australia, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) says twenty-one thousand litres of diesel leaked from the Marlin platform.
Esso claims the released diesel was largely contained within the Marlin facility however there was a single, very minor release of diesel.
“There were no observed impacts to the environment and the sheen dissipated quickly,” said a spokesperson for Esso.
Jeff Waters from Friends of the Earth says it was the third recent leak from a site owned by ExxonMobil and Woodside, contravening a provision of environmental management law.
“The company failed to rectify known defects on one of its platforms which resulted in the spill,” said Jeff Waters.
“They knew about these defects and did nothing, hoping to save a few more dollars at the expense of the marine environment.”
Esso said they moved quickly to address NOPSEMA’s concerns by assessing the repairs required and executing changes which will ensure this does not happen again.
A further series of consultation sessions on decommissioning operations in Bass Strait were held last week in Welshpool, Leongatha and Foster.
The sessions provided an opportunity for people or organisations who may be affected by petroleum activities to raise concerns, including objections or claims about the potential impacts of the decommissioning activities.
South Gippsland Shire was in attendance along with members of the general public.
One attendee noted the economic benefit Esso had brought to Gippsland and the Australian economy.
Another session attendee expressed his concern about global warming.
Esso says it has engaged regularly with communities near oil and gas facilities to discuss activities in operating and decommissioning Gippsland and Bass Strait infrastructure.
Esso says community members have shown a lot of interest in the consultation sessions, understanding the decommissioning objectives and responding positively to Esso’s approach.
One observer from Leongatha wanted to know more about the effect of the decommissioning operations on Barry Beach.
Another attendee from Inverloch said Esso has been a vital part of the economy for fifty years.
“Victoria was lucky to have natural gas,” said the Inverloch man.
“If it wasn’t it wasn’t for Bass Strait, Australia would have been importing oil and gas.”
The first observer said he had seen a report on climate change
“The world is now four to five degrees warmer,” he said.
Esso Australia told attendees four hundred wells, nineteen platforms, six subsea facilities and eight hundred kilometres of subsea pipelines are being decommissioned.
“Since oil was discovered in 1965 four billion barrels of crude oil have been extracted from Bass Strait and eight trillion cubic metres of gas but the oil wells have now reached the end of their economic life,” said Esso Consultation Adviser Kimmi Sandeman.
According to Esso, scientists around the world are calling for oil and gas platform structures to be left in place because of significant and diverse marine ecosystems including homes to vulnerable and endangered species.
Esso is proposing to take a responsible approach to decommissioning by removing all above-sea infrastructure and steel-piled jackets to a depth of fifty-five metres, ensuring International Maritime Organisation requirements are met.
“Only the lower sections will be left in place to ensure ecosystems aren’t destroyed,” says Esso.
“Complete removal of the structures would require significant dredging of the sea floor meaning not only the removal of ecosystems but significant impact on surrounding marine life.”
Esso says it will remove sixty thousand tonnes of material and leave only steel below a depth of fifty-five metres.
The steel-piled jackets that Esso is proposing to leave in place are ninety-eight per cent iron and according to Esso do not contain any contaminants.
Esso has temporarily withdrawn its current Deviation Environment Plan while it waits for the finalisation of the Federal Government’s guidelines on the removal of oil and gas property and dumping of infrastructure in Commonwealth seawaters.
The draft guidelines have been developed and jointly signed by the Department of Industry Science and Resources (DISR), the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environment Authority (NOPSEMA).
Esso welcomes the clear policy direction that where there is a net environmental benefit it is appropriate to leave a range of infrastructure classes in place.
From the outset, Esso said it has identified and actively engaged with key stakeholders across the Gippsland region and continues to consult them as they work through the decommissioning process.
“We have run consultation and information sessions for South Gippsland communities to discuss activities in operating and decommissioning our Gippsland and Bass Strait facilities,” said Esso.
This year there have been sessions in Welshpool and Foster with more happening over the coming months including in Yarram and Leongatha.
For further information regarding the public comment process for the oil and gas rig decommissioning and other activities go to consultation@exxonmobil.com