Variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL10 (Tuna to Marlin a 200MM Oil Pipeline)

Administered by Department of Industry, Science and Resources

Legislation au C2018G00586 In force Gazette

Legislation content

 

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

 

Sections 226, 264 and 708

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006

 

VARIATION OF PIPELINE LICENCE VIC/PL10

(TUNA TO MARLIN A 200MM OIL PIPELINE)

 

I, STEVEN ROBERT TAYLOR, Delegate of the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator, on behalf of the Commonwealth–Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority hereby vary Pipeline Licence VIC/PL10, dated 25 August 1988 (the Licence), for which:

 

BHP Billiton Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd.

(ABN 29 004 228 004)

 

Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd

(ABN 62 091 829 819)

 

are the registered titleholders, as set out below.

 

The variation takes effect on the day on which a notice of the variation is published in the Commonwealth Government Gazette.

 

Made under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006
of the Commonwealth of Australia

 

STEVEN ROBERT TAYLOR

DELEGATE OF THE TITLES ADMINISTRATOR

ON BEHALF OF THE COMMONWEALTH–VICTORIA
OFFSHORE PETROLEUM JOINT AUTHORITY

 

 


  1. The text of the Renewal of Pipeline Licence on Page 1 is varied by:
     

a)        deleting the words:

 

“and subject to the conditions set out hereunder”

 

b)        deleting the words:

 

“the renewal of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL10, to have effect for a period of twenty-one years from and including the 25th day of August 1988”.

 

and replacing with:

 

“the renewal of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL10, in the offshore area of Victoria, subject to:

 

a)     the conditions set out in this licence;

b)     the provisions of the Act; and

c)      the provisions of the Regulations;

 

to construct and operate a pipeline for the conveyance of petroleum, of the design, size and capacity specified herein, along the route specified herein, in relation to the seabed specified herein, and to operate the pumping stations, tank stations and valve stations specified in the positions herein, to have effect from and including the 25th day of August 1988.
 

The licensee shall at all times comply with the provisions of the Act and Regulations (as amended from time to time).

 

2.      The ‘INTERPRETATION’ on Page 2 of the Licence is varied by deleting the current text under the heading ‘INTERPRETATION’

 

and

 

substituting under the heading the following:

“In this document:

 

“the Act” means the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, and includes any Act with which that Act is incorporated, and words used in this document have the same respective meanings as in the Act.

 

“the Regulations” means regulations made under the Act.

 

“Pipeline” has the meaning given in the Act.

 

3.      The FIRST SCHEDULE of the Licence is varied by deleting the current text below the heading ‘FIRST SCHEDULE’, ‘ROUTE OF PIPELINE’

 

and

 

substituting under the heading the following:

 

The route of the pipeline is described in the table below, and displayed in the map below, commencing at the pipeline pig launcher on the Tuna platform, proceeding in a straight line with some minor deflections and terminating at the pig receiver on the Marlin A Platform. Coordinates are based on Geodetic Datum of Australia (GDA94).

 

ID

DESCRIPTION

EASTING

NORTHING

0

Launcher at Tuna Platform

624215

5774249

1

Riser at Tuna Platform

624334

5774390

C1

Crossing at VIC/PL28 (WTN250)

624323

5774389

C2

Crossing at VIC/PL40 (WTN450)

616347

5771447

2

Deflection point

610492

5769354

3

Deflection point

609847

5769009

C3

Crossing at VIC/PL45 (HLA600)

607747

5768269

4

Deflection point

606962

5767944

5

Deflection point

606899

5767910

6

Deflection point

606882

5767903

7

Riser at Marlin A Platform

606873

5767905

8

Receiver at Marlin A Platform

606704

5767778

Coordinate set above is based on GDA94 / MGA Zone 55, survey of pipeline centreline.

 


4.      The SECOND SCHEDULE of the Licence is varied by:
 

a)      deleting the current text under Part I Specification, Section (A) Design

and

substituting under the heading Section (A) Design the following:
 

“The pipeline design is based on the following parameters –

(a)        One 200 mm nominal diameter pipeline for the conveyance of gaseous hydrocarbons;

(b)        A flow rate of 435 cubic metres per day or 2,736 barrels per day of gaseous hydrocarbons;

(c)        An internal maximum design pressure of 14,900 kPag;

(d)        A calculated negative buoyancy of 78.74 kg / lin cm with 9.5 mm wall thickness and 50.8 mm concrete weight coating;

(e)        A pipeline length of approximately 18.7 km.”

 

b)     deleting from Part I Specification, Section (B) Materials of Construction, the words:

“The materials used in the pipeline shall meet the following specifications -”
 

c)      deleting the current text under Part I Specification, Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (i) Steel Pipe

and

substituting under the heading (i) Steel Pipe the following:
 

“The line pipe shall be in accordance with the requirements of the American Petroleum Institute Specification – API Spec 5LX, 35th Edition for Grade X52 seamless pipe and Esso Australia Limited Supplemental pipe specification accompanying the pipeline licence application, and except for the riser pipework, the pipeline shall have the dimensions 219 mm O.D. and 19.1 mm W.T.

 

The said riser pipework shall be API X-52 sour service seamless carbon steel pipe and have the dimensions 480 mm O.D. X 19.1 mm W.T.”
 

d)     deleting Part I Specification, Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (ii), Valves and Fittings
 

e)      deleting the current text under Part I Specification, Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (iii) Protective Coating

and

substituting under the heading (iii) Protective Coating the following:
 

“The line pipe shall be protected by a 3.2 mm coating of Coal Tar Enamel and in accordance with the Esso Australia Limited Protective Coatings Specifications accompanying the original pipeline licence application.

 

Protection of the riser pipework shall be maintained with a coating in accordance with the coating Specification No. 4.3 – Protective Coatings for Onshore Plants, Offshore Platforms and other Marine Structures.

 

Protection of the riser pipework in the splash zone area with carbon steel sleeves shall be as detailed in the specifications accompanying the original pipeline licence application.”
 

f)       amending the numbering of Part I Specification, Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (iii) Protective Coating to be:

“(ii) Protective Coating”
 

g)     amending the numbering of Part I Specification, Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (iv) Weight Coating to be:

“(iii) Weight Coating”
 

h)     deleting Part I Specification, Section (C) Connection to Pipeline, Pipeline Scraper Sender and Scraper Receiver
 

i)       deleting from Part 1 Specification, Section (D) Cathodic Protection, paragraph (b) the words

“Tuna A”

and substituting the following:

Tuna”
 

j)       amending the numbering of Part I Specification, Section (D) Cathodic Protection to be:

“(C) Cathodic Protection”
 

k)     deleting Part I Specification, Section (E) Pressure Control
 

l)       deleting all Part II Further Conditions, Sections A to E.

 

The rest of the Second Schedule remains as stated in the licence instrument dated 25 August 1988.

 

The variation takes effect on the day on which a notice of the variation is published in the Commonwealth Government Gazette.

 

Made under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006
of the Commonwealth of Australia

 

STEVEN ROBERT TAYLOR

DELEGATE OF THE TITLES ADMINISTRATOR

ON BEHALF OF THE COMMONWEALTH–VICTORIA
OFFSHORE PETROLEUM JOINT AUTHORITY

 

Overview

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 was enacted to provide a framework for the regulation of offshore petroleum activities and greenhouse gas storage in Australian waters. The Act was introduced to address the need for effective management of offshore petroleum resources and the associated environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions. The Act was enacted by the Parliament of Australia and its policy objective is to ensure the sustainable development of Australia's offshore petroleum resources while protecting the environment. The Act provides for the regulation of offshore petroleum activities, including the issuance of titles, the imposition of conditions on titles, and the enforcement of compliance with the Act and its regulations. The Act also provides for the regulation of greenhouse gas storage activities, including the issuance of storage permits and the imposition of conditions on storage permits. This legislation is significant for practising lawyers as it governs the legal framework for offshore petroleum activities and greenhouse gas storage in Australia, and any variations to existing pipeline licences, such as the one mentioned in the gazette, must comply with the provisions of the Act.

Scope and Application

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (the Act) governs the regulation of offshore petroleum activities and greenhouse gas storage within the Commonwealth of Australia. Specifically, this legislation applies to entities involved in offshore petroleum operations, such as the pipeline licensees BHP Billiton Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd. and Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd. The Act provides a comprehensive framework for the licensing, exploration, production, and storage of petroleum in offshore areas, extending its reach to activities occurring in the Commonwealth's territorial sea. The Act also includes provisions for the regulation of greenhouse gas storage, thereby impacting industries engaged in carbon capture and storage. The application of the Act is enforced through subordinate instruments and regulations, which can further extend or restrict its application. The variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL10 under this Act highlights its jurisdictional reach and the specific conditions that govern pipeline operations in the offshore area of Victoria.

Key Provisions

The variation to Pipeline Licence VIC/PL10, dated 25 August 1988, pertains to the construction and operation of a 200 mm oil pipeline from the Tuna platform to the Marlin A platform, with the titleholders being BHP Billiton Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd. and Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd. The primary modifications to the licence involve the deletion of the previous terms concerning the renewal of the licence for a twenty-one-year period and its replacement with conditions outlined in the licence itself, as well as the provisions of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (the Act) and associated Regulations. The new licence, effective from 25 August 1988, is subject to compliance with the Act and Regulations (as amended). The obligations imposed by the Act on the parties involved include adherence to the terms set forth in the licence, compliance with the Act and Regulations, and operation of the pipeline according to the specified design, size, and capacity. The licence holders must ensure that the pipeline is constructed and operated in accordance with the detailed parameters provided in the varied sections. This includes meeting specific design criteria such as the pipeline’s diameter, flow rate, and maximum internal design pressure, as well as ensuring that materials used meet certain specifications and that protective coatings and cathodic protection systems are properly implemented. Failure to comply with the provisions of the Act and Regulations can result in significant legal consequences. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the provided text, breaches of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 generally attract both civil and criminal penalties. Civil penalties can include substantial fines, and in more severe cases, criminal penalties may be imposed. These could include imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness of non-compliance with safety and operational standards in offshore petroleum activities. The exact penalties would depend on the nature and severity of the breach, as well as any specific provisions outlined in the Act or Regulations.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.