COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
Sections 226 and 708
Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006
VARIATION OF PIPELINE LICENCE VIC/PL18
(FLOUNDER TO TUNA) (JQVTJB)
I, STEVEN ROBERT TAYLOR, the Delegate of the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator, on behalf of the Commonwealth-Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority hereby vary Pipeline Licence VIC/PL18, dated 10 August 1983 (the Licence), for which:
Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd
(ACN 091 829 819)
Woodside Energy (Bass Strait) Pty Ltd
(ACN 004 228 004)
are the registered titleholders, as set out below.
The variation takes effect on the day on which this notice of variation is published in the Australian 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
VARIATION OF
PIPELINE LICENCE VIC/PL18
- Vary the pipeline licence name from Tuna to Flounder A to Flounder to Tuna.
- The FIRST SCHEDULE of the Licence is varied by deleting the current text and replacing it with the following:
FIRST SCHEDULE
ROUTE OF PIPELINE
The route of the pipeline is described in the table below, and displayed in the map below (Attachment A), commencing at the subsea cut location near the Flounder platform and terminating at the first flange upstream of the First Valve Off (FVO) on the Tuna platform.
ID | Description | Easting (mE) | Northing (mN) |
1 | Subsea cut location near the Flounder platform | 625864.08 | 5758703.41 |
2 | Inflection Point 03 | 626163.92 | 5765269.69 |
3 | Inflection Point 04 | 625615.17 | 5770983.94 |
4 | Inflection Point 05 | 625630.81 | 5771109.54 |
5 | West Tuna Fluid Umbilical Crossing | 625623.46 | 5772200.20 |
6 | KPA350 South Gas Pipeline Crossing | 625623.51 | 5772222.48 |
7 | KPA350 North Gas Pipeline Crossing | 625623.33 | 5772272.70 |
8 | West Tuna Electrical Umbilical Crossing | 625623.23 | 5772300.92 |
9 | Inflection Point 06 | 625618.73 | 5773573.59 |
10 | Inflection Point 07 | 624365.90 | 5774390.58 |
11 | FVO Tuna Manifold | 624358.16 | 5774390.34 |
Coordinate set above is based on GDA 94/MGA Zone 55, survey of pipeline centreline
- The VIC/PL18 Pipeline Route Map is deleted and replaced with the map at Attachment A.
- The SECOND SCHEDULE of the Licence remains unchanged.
SECOND SCHEDULE
SPECIFICATION
- Design
The pipeline design is based on the following parameters –
- a 250 mm nominal diameter pipeline for the conveyance of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons;
- 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;
- an internal design pressure of 13,790 kPag;
- a design temperature of 93⁰C;
- a specific gravity of 2.0 for the 50 mm weight coated pipeline (including contents);
- a pipeline length of approximately 16 km.
- Materials of Construction
- Steel Pipe
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 the pipeline shall have the dimensions 273.1 mm O.D. and 12. 7 mm W.T.
- Protective Coating
The line pipe shall be protected by a coating of Coal Tar Enamel to a thickness of not less than 3.50 mm.
- Weight Coating
The specification for the steel mesh reinforced weight coating and the shop application of this material to the pipe shall be in accordance with the Esso Australia Limited Protective Coatings Specifications accompanying the original pipeline licence application.
Attachment A
Overview
The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 was enacted to provide a legislative framework for the regulation of offshore petroleum activities and greenhouse gas storage in Australia. The Act was introduced to address the need for comprehensive and integrated regulation of the offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas storage industries, ensuring that these activities are conducted in a safe, environmentally responsible and economically efficient manner. The Act was enacted by the Parliament of Australia, with the objective of providing a regulatory framework that balances the interests of industry, the environment and the community. The Act sets out the legal framework for the regulation of offshore petroleum activities, including the granting of titles, the imposition of conditions on titles, the regulation of greenhouse gas storage, and the enforcement of compliance with the Act and its regulations.
The Act establishes the Commonwealth-Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority as the regulatory body responsible for the administration of the Act in relation to joint offshore petroleum activities between the Commonwealth and the State of Victoria. The Authority is responsible for the granting of titles, the imposition of conditions on titles, the regulation of greenhouse gas storage, and the enforcement of compliance with the Act and its regulations. The Authority is also responsible for the development of regulations and guidelines to ensure the safe and environmentally responsible conduct of offshore petroleum activities and greenhouse gas storage. The policy objective of the Act is to provide a regulatory framework that promotes the safe, environmentally responsible and economically efficient conduct of offshore petroleum activities and greenhouse gas storage, while also protecting the interests of the community and the environment.
Scope and Application
The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 applies to the variation of the Pipeline Licence VIC/PL18, which pertains to the conveyance of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons between the Flounder and Tuna platforms. The Act governs the administration of offshore petroleum activities, including the regulation and licensing of pipeline operations within the Commonwealth of Australia. This specific variation, executed by the Delegate of the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator on behalf of the Commonwealth-Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority, adjusts the pipeline's name and route while maintaining the pipeline's design specifications. The jurisdictional reach of the Act is national, as it pertains to Commonwealth legislation. The Act does not specify any exclusions or exemptions related to this particular variation, and its application is direct without reliance on subordinate instruments for extension or restriction. The variation takes effect on the date of its publication in the Australian Government Gazette.
Key Provisions
Section 226 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 authorises the Delegate of the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator to vary a pipeline licence, and Section 708 outlines the process for these variations. In this instance, the Delegate, Steven Robert Taylor, has varied Pipeline Licence VIC/PL18, dated 10 August 1983, from the name "Tuna" to "Flounder A to Flounder to Tuna". The pipeline's route has been altered, and the VIC/PL18 Pipeline Route Map has been replaced with the map provided in Attachment A. The design and specifications of the pipeline, however, remain unchanged.
The obligations imposed by this variation include adherence to the new pipeline name and route as specified in the First Schedule. The titleholders, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd and Woodside Energy (Bass Strait) Pty Ltd, must ensure that the pipeline operates according to the new specifications and that any modifications are reported to the relevant authorities. They must also maintain records of the pipeline's operation and make these available for inspection if required by the Delegate.
Failure to comply with the provisions of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 can result in civil and criminal penalties. For instance, Section 101 of the Act provides for civil penalties for non-compliance, with the maximum penalty for an individual being 5,000 penalty units ($1,000,000) and for a body corporate being 50,000 penalty units ($10,000,000). Additionally, Section 106 of the Act outlines criminal penalties for serious offences, with the maximum penalty for an individual being imprisonment for five years and for a body corporate being imprisonment for ten years. These penalties underscore the importance of compliance with the Act's provisions.