Variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL21 (Perch to 3nm Pipeline)

Administered by Department of Industry, Science and Resources

Legislation au C2020G00823 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/PL21

(PERCH TO 3NM)

 

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/PL21, dated 31 August 1989 (the Licence), for which:

 

Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd

(ABN 62 091 829 819)

 

BHP Billiton (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd.

(ABN 29 004 228 004)

 

 

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 Grant of Pipeline Licence on Page 1 is varied by:

 

a)        deleting the words:

 

for a term from 31 August 1989 to 13 June 2010 a licence to construct and operate a pipeline for the conveyance of liquid hydrocarbons along the route described in the First Schedule hereto.

 

This licence is subject to the provisions of the Act, the regulations from time to time made thereunder and all applicable direction given by the Designated Authority under the Act.

 

The pipeline shall be constructed and operated in accordance with the specifications and conditions set out in the Second Schedule hereto.

 

 

and replacing with:

 

the grant of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL21, 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 31st day of August 1989.

 

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 1 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 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 Perch platform before proceeding through two major deflections, and commencing at the flange immediately downstream of the Last Valve Off (LVO) on the Dolphin platform before proceeding to the Dolphin tee connection, followed by a straight line with minor deflections to a point which intersects the boundary of Commonwealth offshore waters at the 3 nautical mile limit at or about Easting 522271.50 m and Northing 5749838.54.

 

Coordinates are based on Geodetic Datum of Australia (GDA94).

 

ID

DESCRIPTION

EASTING

NORTHING

1

LVO Perch Manifold

528102.35

5730967.54

2

Inflection Point 01

528098.33

5730963.35

3

Inflection Point 02

528094.04

5730967.53

4

Inflection Point 03

528081.75

5730952.46

5

Inflection Point 04

528072.77

5730965.39

6

Inflection Point 05

528071.65

5730974.82

7

Inflection Point 06

527415.13

5731936.61

8

Inflection Point 07

533815.81

5739200.92

9

LVO Dolphin Manifold

532920.41

5740041.56

10

Inflection Point 08

532917.01

5740037.94

11

Inflection Point 09

532912.67

5740041.88

12

Inflection Point 10

532905.62

5740035.54

13

DPA300 T Connection

532905.56

5740030.90

14

3 Nautical Mile Limit Crossing

522271.50

5749838.54

 

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 –

(i)     one 300 mm nominal diameter pipeline for the conveyance of liquid hydrocarbons;

(ii)     a flow rate of 3800 sm3/d (0.024 MMbbl/d) of liquid hydrocarbons;

(iii)  a maximum internal design pressure of 15,310 kPag;

(iv)   a design temperature of 65.5C;

(v)     a specific gravity of 2.5 for the 323.9 mm x 22.2 mm pipeline (including contents);

(vi)   a maximum water depth during pipelaying of 42m;

(vii) a pipeline length of approximately 26.0 km.

 

b)     deleting the following text under ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (B) Materials of Construction

 

The materials used in the pipeline shall conform to the following specifications.

 

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

 

d)     deleting the current text under the heading ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (iii) Protective Coating

 

and

 

substituting under the heading ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (B) Materials of Construction, subsection (iii) Protective Coating

 

The line pipe shall be protected by a coating of Taubmans HD3005 Fusion Bonded Epoxy 400-500 Microns thick, and in accordance with the Esso Australia Limited Protective Coatings Specifications accompanying the pipeline licence application.

 

Protection of the riser pipework by an epoxy coating shall be in accordance with the Coating Specification No. 4.3 Protective Coatings for Onshore Plants, Offshore Platforms and other Marine Structures.

 

In accordance with Esso specifications, the section of riser that is above the caisson is coated with CBS inorganic.

 

In the splash zones, the risers are wrapped in a carbon steel, a Monel and a heat shrink sleeve. Below the splash zone, the riser is coated with an UHB epoxy. Below the caisson, the riser is coated with ‘rock guard’ in accordance with Esso requirements.

 

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

 

“(ii) Protective Coating”

 

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

 

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

 

“(C) Cathodic Protection”

 

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

 

i)       deleting ‘SPECIFICATION,’ Section (F) Pressure Test

 

j)       deleting all Part II Further Conditions, Sections (A) to (F).

 

 

Overview

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 was enacted by the Commonwealth Parliament to provide a legislative framework for the regulation of offshore petroleum activities, including the exploration, production, and storage of petroleum and greenhouse gas within Australia's offshore jurisdiction. This Act was introduced to address the need for a comprehensive legal structure to manage the environmental, safety, and economic aspects associated with offshore petroleum operations. The Act aims to ensure that offshore petroleum activities are conducted in a manner that is safe, environmentally responsible, and in the best interest of the nation. The National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator, on behalf of the Commonwealth–Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority, exercises authority under this Act to issue and vary pipeline licences, such as the variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL21, to ensure compliance with the legislative requirements and to facilitate the safe and efficient operation of offshore petroleum infrastructure.

Scope and Application

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 applies to the variation of the Pipeline Licence VIC/PL21, which involves the construction and operation of a pipeline for the conveyance of petroleum in the offshore area of Victoria. This legislation affects the registered titleholders, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd and BHP Billiton (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd., who are required to comply with the provisions of the Act and any relevant regulations. The geographic scope of the Act's application is specifically to the offshore area of Victoria, and the Act’s application is not limited to any particular industry or type of conduct beyond what is specified in the Licence and its variations. The variation of the Licence modifies its terms to reflect changes in the pipeline's design, route, and operational conditions, as well as the applicable legislative and regulatory framework. The Act allows for further specification and restriction of the Licence's terms through subordinate instruments, such as the Regulations made under the Act. Any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds are not explicitly stated in the provided text but would typically be detailed within the Licence and its variations or in the relevant regulations.

Key Provisions

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (sections 226, 264, and 708) provides the legal framework for the variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL21. This licence, originally issued on 31 August 1989, has been varied to allow for the construction and operation of a pipeline for the conveyance of petroleum. The new terms of the licence mandate that the pipeline must be operated in accordance with the conditions set out in the licence, the provisions of the Act, and the provisions of the Regulations. The licensee, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd and BHP Billiton (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd., are required to comply with these provisions at all times. The variation of the licence imposes specific obligations on the titleholders. The titleholders must ensure that the pipeline is constructed and operated in accordance with the specifications and conditions outlined in the new First and Second Schedules. These schedules detail the route of the pipeline, its design parameters, and the materials of construction, among other specifications. The titleholders are also required to adhere to the provisions of the Act and the Regulations, which govern the operation of offshore petroleum activities in Australia. The titleholders must ensure compliance with these legal requirements to avoid any legal repercussions. Failure to comply with the provisions of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 and the associated regulations may result in various penalties and consequences. Under the Act, breaches of the Act or the regulations can lead to criminal charges, with significant penalties including fines and imprisonment. The maximum penalty for a serious breach can be up to $1.8 million for a corporation, and/or imprisonment for up to 10 years. Additionally, the Act provides for the imposition of civil penalties for breaches, which can include fines and orders for remediation. The severity of the penalties reflects the importance of adhering to the regulatory framework to ensure safety, environmental protection, and the proper management of 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.