Variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL18 (Flounder to Tuna Pipeline)

Administered by Department of Industry, Science and Resources

Legislation au C2020G00413 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/PL18

(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/PL18, 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:

 

a)      deleting the words:

 

“the renewal of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL18, to have effect for a period of twenty-one years from and including the 30th day of August 1996.”

 

and replacing with:

 

“the renewal of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL18, 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 same 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 ‘FIRST SCHEDULE,’ ‘ROUTE OF PIPELINE’ the following:

 

“The route of the 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 Flounder Manifold

625859.58

5758703.21

2

Inflection Point 01

625872.38

5758703.79

3

Inflection Point 02

625939.09

5759035.67

4

Inflection Point 03

626163.92

5765269.69

5

Inflection Point 04

625615.17

5770983.94

6

Inflection Point 05

625630.81

5771109.54

7

West Tuna Fluid Umbilical Crossing

625623.46

5772200.20

8

KPA350 South Gas Pipeline Crossing

625623.51

5772222.48

9

KPA350 North Gas Pipeline Crossing

625623.33

5772272.70

10

West Tuna Electrical Umbilical Crossing

625623.23

5772300.92

11

Inflection Point 06

625618.73

5773573.59

12

Inflection Point 07

624365.90

5774390.58

13

FVO Tuna Manifold

624358.16

5774390.34

 

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 ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (A) Design

 

and

 

substituting under the heading ‘SPECIFICATION,’ 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 and 0.85 MMsm3/d (30.02 MMscf/d) of gaseous hydrocarbons;

(c)     an internal design pressure of 13790 kPag;

(d)     a design temperature of 93⁰C;

(e)     a specific gravity of 2.0 for the 50 mm weight coated pipeline (including contents);

(f)       a pipeline length of 16 km.”

 

b)        deleting from ‘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 ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (i) Steel Pipe

 

and

 

substituting under the heading ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (B) Materials of Construction, 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, ad except for the riser pipe the pipeline shall have the dimensions 273.1 mm O.D. and 12.7 mm W.T. The said riser pipe shall have the dimensions 273.1 mm O.D. and 18.3 mm W.T. with 11.1 mm W.T. API 5L X65 bends.”

 

d)        deleting ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (ii) Valves and Fittings

 

e)        deleting from ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (iii) Protective Coating, the words:

 

“and spirally wrapped with one ply of 6.81 kg (15 lb) coal tar saturated wrap and in accordance with the Esso Australia Limited Protective Coatings Specifications accompanying the original pipeline licence application.”

 

f)         amending the numbering of ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (iii) Protective Coating to be:

 

“(ii) Protective Coating”

 

g)        amending the numbering of ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (iv) Weight Coating to be:

 

“(iii) Weight Coating”

 

h)        deleting ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (C) Connections to Pipeline

 

i)          amending the numbering of ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (D) Cathodic Protection to be:

 

“(C) Cathodic Protection”

 

j)          deleting ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (E) Pressure Control

 

k)        deleting all Part II ‘FURTHER CONDITIONS,’ Sections (A) to (E).

 

 

 

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 Australian waters. This Act was introduced to address the need for a comprehensive legal structure to manage the exploration, production, and storage of petroleum and greenhouse gases offshore, ensuring environmental protection and efficient resource management. The Act was enacted by the Parliament of Australia and its policy objectives include promoting the safe and environmentally responsible development of offshore petroleum resources, facilitating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through storage, and ensuring the equitable sharing of benefits derived from these resources. The legislation allows for the issuance and regulation of licenses for offshore activities, setting out the conditions and requirements for the exploration, production, and storage of petroleum and greenhouse gases.

Scope and Application

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, under which this variation of the Pipeline Licence VIC/PL18 has been made, applies to the offshore petroleum activities in Commonwealth waters, which are defined as waters beyond the territorial sea of Australia. The Act governs the regulation and management of offshore petroleum activities, including the granting of licences for the exploration, production, and transportation of petroleum. In this instance, the Act specifically applies to BHP Billiton Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd. and Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, the registered titleholders of the pipeline licence, who are required to comply with the provisions of the Act and any regulations made under it. The geographic reach of the Act is national, as it pertains to activities in Commonwealth waters, which extend beyond state boundaries. The Act does not specify exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds within the text of the variation itself; however, the full scope of these would be detailed in the Act and any subsidiary regulations. The application and interpretation of the Act can be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, such as regulations and guidelines, which may provide further detail on specific operational and safety standards that must be adhered to by the licensees.

Key Provisions

The key provisions of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (the Act) as applied to the variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL18, involve several sections that mandate specific changes to the licence terms and conditions. Section 226 (2) allows for the variation of a licence to reflect changes in the operational scope, conditions, and regulatory requirements. Section 264 (1) enables the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator to modify licence terms, including the route, design, and operational specifications of the pipeline. Section 708 outlines the procedure for implementing such variations, including the publication of the variation notice in the Commonwealth Government Gazette. Under the Act, the obligations imposed on the parties governed by this legislation include strict compliance with the amended licence conditions, the Act itself, and any associated regulations. The licence holders, BHP Billiton Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd. and Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, are required to adhere to the new specifications and conditions set forth in the variation, such as the pipeline's design, route, materials, and operational standards. This includes ensuring that all activities related to the pipeline comply with environmental, safety, and operational regulations, as well as any additional conditions specified in the licence. Failure to comply with the provisions of the Act or the licence conditions can lead to various civil and criminal consequences. Under the Act, breaches may result in administrative penalties, enforcement actions, and potential revocation or suspension of the licence. The maximum penalties for offences under the Act can include substantial fines, imprisonment, or both, depending on the severity of the breach and the specific provisions violated. The exact penalties are determined by the courts, but they reflect the importance of adhering to regulatory standards in offshore petroleum activities.

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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.