Variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL17 (Flounder to Tuna Pipeline)

Administered by Department of Industry, Science and Resources

Legislation au C2020G00388 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/PL17

(FLOUNDER TO TUNA PIPELINE)

 

I, GRAEME ALBERT WATERS, the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator, on behalf of the Commonwealth–Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority hereby vary Pipeline Licence VIC/PL17, dated 30 August 1996 (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

 

GRAEME ALBERT WATERS

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:

 

  1. deleting the words:

 

“and subject to the conditions set out hereunder,

 

b.        deleting the words:

 

“the renewal of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL17, to have effect for a period of twenty-one (21) years from and including the 30th day of August 1996.

 

and replacing with:

 

“the renewal of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL17, 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 30th day of August 1996.

 

The licensee shall at all times comply with the provisions of the Act and Regulations (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; and

“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 Flounder to Tuna pipeline is described in the table below, and displayed in the map below, commencing at the flange immediately downstream of the Last Valve Off (LVO) on the Flounder platform and terminating at the first flange upstream of the First Valve On (FVO) on the Tuna platform. Coordinates are based on Geodetic Datum of Australia (GDA94).

 

ID

DESCRIPTION

EASTING

NORTHING

1

LVO FlounderManifold

625859.5

5758705.0

2

Inflection Point 01

625866.6

5758705.4

3

Flexible Pipeline – Section 1 Begin

625869.6

5758720.0

4

Inflection Point 02

625873.3

5758735.3

5

Inflection Point 03

625867.5

5758784.4

6

Inflection Point 04

625833.0

5758787.0

7

Inflection Point 05

625786.0

5758799.0

8

Inflection Point 06

625783.0

5758817.0

9

Flexible Pipeline – Section 1 End

625783.0

5758820.5

10

Flexible Pipeline – Section 2 Begin

625829.0

5762200.6

11

Inflection Point 07

625829.0

5762223.0

12

Inflection Point 08

625863.0

5762244.0

13

Flexible Pipeline – Section 2 End

625863.7

5762252.3

14

Flexible Pipeline – Section 3 Begin

626088.7

5765623.2

15

Inflection Point 09

626086.7

5765652.0

16

Inflection Point 10

626118.3

5765644.9

17

Flexible Pipeline – Section 3 End

626115.6

5765674.0

18

West Tuna Fluid Umbilical Crossing

625459.8

5772194.2

19

KPA350 South Gas Pipeline Crossing

625455.8

5772214.9

20

KPA350 North Gas Pipeline Crossing

625446.1

5772265.8

21

West Tuna Electrical Umbilical Crossing

625441.2

5772291.4

22

Inflection Point 11

625214.0

5773082.0

23

Inflection Point 12

624587.1

5774202.3

24

Inflection Point 13

624365.9

5774389.1

25

FVO Tuna Manifold

624358.2

5774389.1

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

  1. 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)   a 250 mm nominal diameter pipeline for the conveyance of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons;

(b)   a flow rate of 8000 sm3/d (0.050 MMbbl/d) of liquid hydrocarbons & 0.85 MMsm3/d (30.02 MMscf/d) of gaseous hydrocarbons;

(c)   an internal design pressure of 13,790 kPag;

(d)   a flexible jumpers design temperature of 85⁰C;

(e)   a specific gravity of 2.2 for the 250 mm weight coated pipeline (including contents);

(f)    a pipeline length of approximately 16.152 km.”

 

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

 

“The materials used in any repair, addition or alteration to the pipeline shall conform to 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 subsection (i) Steel Pipe the following:

 

”The line pipe shall be in accordance with the requirements of the American Petroleum Institute Specification – API Spec 5L, 38th Edition 1990 for Grade X52 seamless pipe and Esso Australia Limited Supplemental pipe specification accompanying the pipeline licence application, and except for the riser pipe the pipeline shall have the dimensions 273.1 mm O.D. and 12.7 mm W.T.

 

Three flexible jumpers of 254 mm I.D., 330.8 mm O.D. Wellstream sour service flexible jumper with ANSI 900# RTJ flanged end fitting assemblies. The said riser pipe shall have the dimensions 273.1mm O.D. and 18.3 mm W.T. with 11.1 mm W.T. API 5L X65 bends.”

 

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 subsection (iii) Protective Coating the following:

 

“The line pipe shall be protected by a coating of Coal Tar Enamel to a thickness of not less than 3.50 mm or FBE corrosion coating.

 

In the splash zone, the risers are protected by a 12.7 mm carbon steel sleeve and a 5 mm Monel sheath.

 

Primary external corrosion protection for the pipeline is provided by a 3.5 mm CTE coating.”

 

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

 

“(C) Cathodic Protection”

 

j.        deleting Part I Specification, Section (E) Pressure Control.

 

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

 

The rest of the Second Schedule remains as stated in the licence instrument dated 30 August 1996.

 

 

 

 

 

Overview

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 was enacted to regulate the exploration for, and the production of, petroleum and greenhouse gas in the offshore area of Australia, including the regulation of activities associated with offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas operations. This Act was introduced to address the need for a comprehensive legal framework governing offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas activities, ensuring environmental protection and efficient resource management. The Act was enacted by the Parliament of Australia, aiming to provide a clear and effective regulatory system for the offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas industry. It establishes a joint authority, the Commonwealth–Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority, to administer the licensing and regulatory framework in the offshore area of Victoria, as demonstrated in the variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL17 for the Flounder to Tuna Pipeline. The policy objective of the Act is to facilitate the responsible development of offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas resources while protecting the environment and ensuring public safety. The Act empowers the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator to make variations to pipeline licences, such as the variation to Pipeline Licence VIC/PL17 for the Flounder to Tuna Pipeline. This variation updates the terms and conditions of the licence, ensuring compliance with the Act and its regulations. The changes include modifications to the interpretation of terms, the pipeline route, design specifications, materials of construction, and protective coatings, reflecting advancements in technology and regulatory requirements. These amendments ensure that the pipeline operations continue to meet the highest safety and environmental standards, aligning with the policy objectives of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006.

Scope and Application

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 applies to entities involved in offshore petroleum activities, including the construction and operation of pipelines in offshore areas, such as the Flounder to Tuna Pipeline Licence under the authority of the Commonwealth–Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority. The Act's jurisdictional reach is Commonwealth, applying specifically to the offshore areas of Victoria. The variation of the Pipeline Licence VIC/PL17 concerns the renewal and operation of the pipeline for the conveyance of petroleum, subject to the conditions set out in the licence, the provisions of the Act, and the Regulations. The variation does not alter the geographic scope of the licence but updates the conditions, specifications, and materials of construction to align with the current requirements under the Act and the Regulations. The variation also incorporates the definitions and provisions of the Act and Regulations, ensuring compliance with updated legislative standards. This variation takes effect from the date of publication in the Commonwealth Government Gazette and does not include any exclusions or exemptions from the application of the Act.

Key Provisions

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (the Act) has been utilised to vary Pipeline Licence VIC/PL17, which pertains to the Flounder to Tuna Pipeline. This variation was made on behalf of the Commonwealth-Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority by Graeme Albert Waters, the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator. Section 226 of the Act details the variation, which involves significant changes to the original licence, including the deletion of certain phrases and the addition of new conditions for the pipeline's operation and construction. The varied licence now requires the licensee to comply with the provisions of the Act and any regulations made under it, as well as the conditions specified in the licence itself. Specifically, the licence now stipulates that the pipeline is to be constructed and operated in accordance with the new specifications and conditions outlined in the varied licence. The pipeline is to convey petroleum in the offshore area of Victoria and must adhere to the design, size, and capacity specified in the new licence. Additionally, the operation of pumping stations, tank stations, and valve stations is subject to the positions specified in the licence. The obligations imposed by the Act on the licensees, BHP Billiton Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd. and Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd., include adherence to the new pipeline route, design parameters, and materials of construction as specified in the varied licence. The licensees must ensure that all operations are conducted in compliance with the Act, the Regulations, and the specific conditions set out in the licence. This includes the obligation to maintain the pipeline in a safe and environmentally sound condition and to operate it in a manner that does not harm the marine environment. Under the Act, failure to comply with the provisions of the licence or the Act itself can result in civil and criminal penalties. For instance, Section 264 of the Act outlines the potential civil penalties for breaches, which can include fines and other enforcement actions. In cases of more serious non-compliance, Section 708 of the Act provides for criminal penalties, which can include substantial fines and imprisonment. The specific maximum penalties are not detailed in the provided text, but generally, the Act allows for fines of up to $1.1 million and imprisonment for up to 10 years for serious offences related to non-compliance with the Act or the licence conditions.

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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.