Variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL4 (Barracouta to Shore Oil Pipeline)

Administered by Department of Industry, Science and Resources

Legislation au C2020G00003 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/PL4

(BARRACOUTA TO SHORE OIL 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/PL4, 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

 

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:

 

“and subject to the conditions set out hereunder, grant to”

 

b) deleting the words:

 

“the renewal of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL4, 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/PL4, 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 Barracouta to Shore Oil Pipeline is described in the table below, and displayed in the map below, commencing at the downstream flange of the Last Valve Off (LVO) at the Barracouta platform and proceeding in a straight line, with some minor deflections towards a point which intersects the boundary of Commonwealth offshore waters at the 3 nautical mile limit at or about Easting 546544.67 m and Northing 5773997.06 m. Coordinates are based on Geodetic Datum of Australia (GDA94).

 

ID

DESCRIPTION

EASTING

NORTHING

1

LVO at Barracouta Manifold

559107

5761061.42

2

Inflection Point 01

559096.4

5761060.49

3

BTA65 Gas Lift Pipeline Crossing

559096.3

5761060.63

4

TWA200 Oil Pipeline Crossing

559093.47

5761064.59

5

TWA200 Umbilical Crossing

559091.16

5761067.81

6

3 Nautical Mile Limit Crossing

546544.67

5773997.06

 

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 150 mm nominal diameter pipeline for the conveyance of liquid hydrocarbons;

(b)   a flow rate of 3975 standard cubic metres (sm3) (0.025 million barrels (MMbbl)) per day of liquid hydrocarbons;

(c)   an internal maximum design pressure of 14,700 kPag (2130 psig);

(d)   a specific gravity of 1.30 for the 150 mm (6 inch) weight coated pipeline (including contents);

(e)   a pipeline length of approximately 18.9 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 subsection (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 168 mm O.D. and 9.5 mm W.T.

The said riser pipework shall be API Spec. 5LX, Grade A seamless pipe and have the dimensions 168 mm O.O. x 11 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 subsection (iii) Protective Coating the following:

“The line pipe shall be protected by a 3.2 mm coating of Coal Tar Enamel.

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.

In the splash zone each riser is protected by a 12.7 mm thick carbon steel and a 5 mm thick Monel sleeve. The riser then has a 25 mm thick CWC and 3.2 mm CTE down to the seabed.”

 

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

 

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 of 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

Overview

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 was enacted to provide a comprehensive framework for the regulation of offshore petroleum activities and greenhouse gas storage in Australia. This Act was introduced to address the need for effective management and oversight of offshore petroleum operations to ensure environmental protection, economic benefits, and safety. The Act is administered by the Commonwealth of Australia through the relevant authorities empowered under the legislation. The primary policy objective of the Act is to balance the development of offshore petroleum resources with the protection of the marine environment and the promotion of sustainable practices. This is achieved by establishing clear regulatory standards, licensing procedures, and enforcement mechanisms that govern the exploration, production, and transportation of offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas storage activities. Under the Act, the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator, on behalf of the relevant offshore petroleum joint authority, has the power to vary pipeline licences to ensure compliance with updated regulations and operational requirements. This variation process is demonstrated in the modification of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL4 for the Barracouta to Shore Oil Pipeline, which includes changes to the licence terms, interpretation definitions, pipeline design specifications, and materials of construction to align with the current legislative framework and industry standards. These amendments ensure that the pipeline operations meet the stringent safety, environmental, and technical criteria stipulated in the Act and associated regulations.

Scope and Application

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 applies to the variation of Pipeline Licence VIC/PL4, which concerns the construction and operation of an offshore pipeline for the conveyance of petroleum from the Barracouta platform to the shore. This Act applies to the entities BHP Billiton Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd. and Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, which are the registered titleholders of the pipeline. The variation is administered by the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator on behalf of the Commonwealth–Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority and is subject to the conditions outlined in the Licence, the Act, and the Regulations. The geographic reach of this Act is limited to the offshore area of Victoria, as specified in the Licence. The Act allows for the extension and restriction of its application through subordinate instruments, such as the Regulations which detail specific conditions for pipeline design, materials, and operational standards. This variation does not introduce any new exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds but rather modifies existing provisions to better align with updated standards and operational requirements.

Key Provisions

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (the "Act") governs the variation of the Pipeline Licence VIC/PL4 (the "Licence") concerning the Barracouta to Shore Oil Pipeline. The variation, executed by Graeme Albert Waters as the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator on behalf of the Commonwealth-Victoria Offshore Petroleum Joint Authority, modifies several key sections of the Licence (sections 226, 264, and 708). Section 1 of the variation alters the text of the Renewal of Pipeline Licence by deleting specific phrases and inserting new provisions that mandate compliance with the Act and Regulations. This includes a new clause specifying the pipeline's construction and operation parameters, effective from 25 August 1988. The variation also affects the 'Interpretation' section, replacing the existing definitions with new ones that clarify the meanings of the "Act" and "Regulations" as per the Act. Furthermore, Section 3 modifies the First Schedule by updating the pipeline's route description, ensuring it aligns with the latest specifications and coordinates based on the Geodetic Datum of Australia (GDA94). Section 4 of the variation brings significant changes to the Second Schedule, particularly in the 'Design' and 'Materials of Construction' sections, providing updated parameters and specifications for the pipeline, including the pipeline's diameter, flow rate, and materials used. The variation imposes several obligations on the parties governed by the Act. The registered titleholders, BHP Billiton Petroleum (Bass Strait) Pty. Ltd. and Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd., must adhere to the new provisions regarding the pipeline's design, materials, and operational conditions. They must ensure the pipeline complies with the updated specifications and operational standards as outlined in the varied Licence. Additionally, they must comply with all relevant provisions of the Act and Regulations, which include environmental protection measures, safety standards, and reporting requirements. Failure to comply with the provisions of the Act or the varied Licence can lead to severe consequences. The Act provides for both civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance. Civil penalties may include fines up to a maximum of $1,650,000 for corporations and $330,000 for individuals, depending on the severity of the breach. Criminal offences may result in penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment for individuals and fines up to $660,000 for corporations. These penalties underscore the importance of adhering to the regulations and maintaining compliance to avoid legal repercussions.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Environmental Law
Instrument
Gazette Notice
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Enforcement Powers

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

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.