SMOOTHING THE PATH—CHANGES TO COMMONWEALTH OFFSHORE PETROLEUM LEGISLATION

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 403
Author(s):  
B. Pegler ◽  
J. Lautenbach ◽  
L. Richards
Keyword(s):  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
Major Step ◽  
Statutory Authority ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
The Government ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Offshore Petroleum

The last few years have seen a range of important changes to the Commonwealth legislation governing offshore petroleum resources. Not the least of these has been the passing of the new Offshore Petroleum Act 2006 (OPA), which will replace the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1967 (PSLA), and the recent ratification of the Treaty on Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea (CMATS) and the Greater Sunrise International Unitisation Agreement.The PSLA has been the primary legislation for the administration of Australia’s offshore petroleum resources for close to 40 years and, through age and many amendments, it has become complex and unwieldy. The Government saw the need to rewrite the Act to provide a more user-friendly enactment that would reduce compliance costs for governments and industry. The rewrite, passed as the Offshore Petroleum Act 2006, focussed on restructuring the Act, deleting outdated text, rewriting specific sections and generally improving its readability rather than rewriting the entire Act in plain English or changing present regulatory arrangements.The OPA was passed through the Commonwealth Parliament in 2006 and has been passed as mirror legislation to cover offshore waters by the majority of States and the Northern Territory. It will be proclaimed to cover Commonwealth waters once it has been mirrored by the States. The Australian Government will continue to press the remaining States to enact the OPA and it is hoped this process can be finalised later this year.Another major step forward has been the setting up of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA). NOPSA is the centralised Australian Government statutory authority responsible for the administration and enforcement of occupational health and safety legislation in the offshore petroleum industry. It has this role for offshore petroleum activities both in Commonwealth waters and in State and Northern Territory offshore waters. The Safety Authority commenced its regulatory operations on 1 January 2005. It has its headquarters in Perth and an office in Melbourne.

Is Australia Prepared for the Decommissioning Challenge? A Regulator's Perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Christensen ◽  
Andrew Re
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Regulatory Reform ◽  
Field Development ◽  
Independent Expert ◽  
Offshore Oil And Gas ◽  
Offshore Petroleum

Abstract The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) is Australia's independent expert regulator for health and safety, structural (well) integrity and environmental management for all offshore oil and gas operations and greenhouse gas storage activities in Australian waters, and in coastal waters where regulatory powers and functions have been conferred. The Australian offshore petroleum industry has been in operation since the early 1960s and currently has approximately 57 platforms, 11 floating facilities, 3,500km of pipelines and 1000 wells in operation. Many offshore facilities are now approaching the end of their operational lives and it is estimated that over the next 50 years decommissioning of this infrastructure will cost more than US$40.5 billion. Decommissioning is a normal and inevitable stage in the lifetime of an offshore petroleum project that should be planned from the outset and matured throughout the life of operations. While only a few facilities have been decommissioned in Australian waters, most of Australia's offshore infrastructure is now more than 20 years old and entering a phase where they require extra attention and close maintenance prior to decommissioning. When the NOGA group of companies entered liquidation in 2020 and the Australian Government took control of decommissioning the Laminaria and Corallina field development it became evident that there were some fundamental gaps in relation to decommissioning in the Australian offshore petroleum industry. There are two key focus areas that require attention. Firstly, regulatory reform including policy change and modification to regulatory practice. Secondly, the development of visible and robust decommissioning plans by Industry titleholders. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance and benefit of adopting good practice when planning for decommissioning throughout the life cycle of a petroleum project. Whilst not insurmountable, the closing of these gaps will ensure that Australia is well placed to deal with the decommissioning challenge facing the industry in the next 50 years.

scholarly journals Proper Use of Technical Standards in Offshore Petroleum Industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejan Brkić ◽  
Pavel Praks
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
European Economic Area ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Technical Standards ◽  
The North ◽  
Offshore Petroleum

Ships for drilling need to operate in the territorial waters of many different countries which can have different technical standards and procedures. For example, the European Union and European Economic Area EU/EEA product safety directives exclude from their scope drilling ships and related equipment onboard. On the other hand, the EU/EEA offshore safety directive requires the application of all the best technical standards that are used worldwide in the oil and gas industry. Consequently, it is not easy to select the most appropriate technical standards that increase the overall level of safety and environmental protection whilst avoiding the costs of additional certifications. We will show how some technical standards and procedures, which are recognized worldwide by the petroleum industry, can be accepted by various standardization bodies, and how they can fulfil the essential health and safety requirements of certain directives. Emphasis will be placed on the prevention of fire and explosion, on the safe use of equipment under pressure, and on the protection of personnel who work with machinery. Additionally considered is how the proper use of adequate procedures available at the time would have prevented three large scale offshore petroleum accidents: the Macondo Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010; the Montara in the Timor Sea in 2009; the Piper Alpha in the North Sea in 1988.

Australian States and Northern Territory acreage update at APPEA 2010

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Peter Green
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Green Is ◽  
Australian State ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Exploration And Production

Peter Green is the Geoscience Manager: Energy Geoscience in the Geological Survey Queensland and has extensive experience in basin studies, geoscience and the development of petroleum regulation in Queensland. This paper provides a summary of the land releases for petroleum exploration for onshore areas and coastal waters of Australia for 2010. The summaries include upstream petroleum acreage opportunities for the states and the Northern Territory, and geothermal energy exploration opportunities. The rise in interest in export liquefied natural gas projects has ensured petroleum exploration and production has remained strong. Interest in acquiring petroleum acreage to explore for both conventional and non-conventional plays remains high. Australian state and the Northern Territory governments continue to provide access to land and promotional opportunities for companies to undertake exploration and development of our petroleum resources. Acreage on offer provides a mix of exploration opportunities from conventional oil and gas through to the unconventional plays such as shale gas and tight gas. This change in acreage on offer reflects the changing nature of the onshore petroleum industry in Australia.

2014 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 377
Author(s):  
Tania Constable
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Production Capacity ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
Regulated Markets ◽  
Trading Partners ◽  
Offshore Petroleum

The potential for natural gas to fuel economic growth around the world is tremendous. Australia has a pivotal role to play with our abundant natural gas reserves and record levels of investment in LNG production capacity. Australia is presently the world’s third-largest exporter of LNG, with an export capacity of 24.3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) from three operational projects. Capacity will increase to around 90 mtpa by 2018, once the seven projects being constructed come online. The Australian Government is committed to ensuring the long-term growth of the petroleum industry, and the promotion of competitive, sustainable and well-regulated markets operating in the best interests of the nation. Exploration is essential for the future of Australia’s resources sector to enhance our international competitiveness while maintaining Australian energy security and that of our energy trading partners. Investment in offshore petroleum exploration is facilitated though the annual Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release prepared by the Australian Government Department of Industry and Geoscience Australia. The Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release is underpinned by a stable economic environment and clear regulatory framework that provides investment certainty and security of title. This paper provides details about the acreage included in the 2014 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release. All areas are supported by geological data and analysis from Geoscience Australia. This paper also discusses the introduction of cash bidding for mature areas and areas containing known petroleum accumulations, in addition to Australian Government initiatives in the offshore petroleum sphere.

scholarly journals Environmental Protection and Oil and Gas Production in the Nova Scotia Offshore: A Guidelines Approach to Operational Discharges

1969 ◽  
pp. 347
Author(s):  
Mikis Manolis
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Statutory Authority ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Offshore Petroleum

This article examines and describes the regulatory framework governing the production of oil and gas in the Nova Scotia offshore. Specific attention is given to the ecological dangers posed by operational discharges into the marine environment by the oil and gas industry. The regulation of operational discharges under the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act and the role of guidelines in this regard is discussed. It is argued that the attempted use of guidelines by the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board to impose binding requirements on operators is beyond its statutory authority. The administrative problems associated with these "mandatory" guidelines are also discussed.

Information: a valuable resource in managing health, safety, and the environment in the offshore petroleum industry

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 493
Author(s):  
Nadia Ardalich
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Publishing Industry ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
Government Information ◽  
Government Accountability ◽  
The Public ◽  
Learning From Others ◽  
Offshore Petroleum

The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) is charged with promoting occupational health and safety and responsible environmental management in the offshore petroleum industry and ensuring industry compliance with the relevant commonwealth legislation. For NOPSEMA to exercise these functions effectively and transparently, sharing information through industry experience is integral. Although NOPSEMA already publishes widely–including guidance material, industry performance data, and safety alerts–it is working towards increasing publication of more detailed and specific industry information, such as enforcement notices. Government regulators publishing industry information of this kind is not new in Australia or overseas and is often used by regulators as a tool for promoting industry compliance. Communicating and sharing information with industry and the public are important activities of governments. Information sharing can expand knowledge, enable innovation, enhance government accountability and transparency, and even save lives by learning from others' experiences. Recently, the Australian Government has shown a deeper commitment through changes to the Freedom of Information Act 1982, making government information more accessible and open to the public. This extended abstract discusses the benefits of increasing publication of industry information to promote NOPSEMA's functions and objectives for delivering a safe and environmentally responsible offshore petroleum industry.

The distribution of petroleum resources in Malaysia: unpacking federalism

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan M Zulhafiz Wan Zahari ◽  
Farid Sufian bin Shuaib
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Economic Significance ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
The Government ◽  
Petroleum Development ◽  
Oil Company

Abstract This article examines the concept of federalism in the oil and gas industry in Malaysia. The petroleum industry is one of the 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) to enhance national growth under Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). Due to its economic significance, the petroleum industry was given priority by the Government of Malaysia. The development of the oil and gas industry in Malaysia can be divided into two stages, ie the period before 1974 and after 1974. Prior to 1974, the ownership of hydrocarbon resources was placed under the jurisdiction of the respective 13 states forming part of Malaysia. In 1974, the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) was passed by the Parliament of Malaysia. Pursuant to the PDA, a national oil company has been established in the form of a public listed company which is called Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas). The national oil company was granted the entire ownership and the exclusive rights, powers, liberties and privileges of exploring, winning and obtaining petroleum onshore and offshore Malaysia. Each state permanently conferred its ownership, rights, powers, liberties and privileges in the petroleum by executing the vesting instrument specified in the PDA. This article examines the rights of ownership of the Federation and the various states of Malaysia with regards to the hydrocarbon resources at the time of the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, and the gradual changes in the ownership of the hydrocarbon resources from the states to the absolute ownership of the Federal government in 1974. Furthermore, this article examines the legislation regulating petroleum resources and the role of the states and federation in the upstream oil and gas industry prior to 1974 and after the enactment of the PDA.

Petroleum geological activities in West Greenland in 1998

1999 ◽  
pp. 46-56
Author(s):  
Flemming G. Christiansen ◽  
Anders Boesen ◽  
Jørgen A. Bojesen-Koefoed ◽  
James A. Chalmers ◽  
Finn Dalhoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Working Group ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Geological Survey ◽  
Original Series ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Phillips Petroleum ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
The Government ◽  
Year 2000

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Christiansen, F. G., Boesen, A., Bojesen-Koefoed, J. A., Chalmers, J. A., Dalhoff, F., Dam, G., Ferré Hjortkjær, B., Kristensen, L., Melchior Larsen, L., Marcussen, C., Mathiesen, A., Nøhr-Hansen, H., Pedersen, A. K., Pedersen, G. K., Pulvertaft, T. C. R., Skaarup, N., & Sønderholm, M. (1999). Petroleum geological activities in West Greenland in 1998. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 183, 46-56. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v183.5204 _______________ In the last few years there has been renewed interest for petroleum exploration in West Greenland and licences have been granted to two groups of companies: the Fylla licence operated by Statoil was awarded late in 1996; the Sisimiut-West licence operated by Phillips Petroleum was awarded in the summer of 1998 (Fig. 1). The first offshore well for more than 20 years will be drilled in the year 2000 on one of the very spectacular structures within the Fylla area. To stimulate further petroleum exploration around Greenland – and in particular in West Greenland – a new licensing policy has been adopted. In July 1998, the administration of mineral and petroleum resources was transferred from the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy to the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum under the Government of Greenland in Nuuk. Shortly after this, the Greenlandic and Danish governments decided to develop a new exploration strategy. A working group consisting of members from the authorities (including the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland – GEUS) made recommendations on the best ways to stimulate exploration in the various regions on- and offshore Greenland. The strategy work included discussions with seismic companies because it was considered important that industry acquires additional seismic data in the seasons 1999 and 2000.

Narratives and processes – Developing a responsive parent–child program to empower local facilitators in a remote Aboriginal community

2021 ◽  
pp. 147332502199241
Author(s):  
Carolin Stock ◽  
Maggie Kerinaiua Punguatji ◽  
Carmen Cubillo ◽  
Gary Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Play Therapy ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Parenting Program ◽  
Research Translation ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Parenting Support ◽  
Pilot Implementation ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Parent Child

This article presents the results of a retrospective study that critically examines the development of a responsive parent–child program from conceptualisation to pilot implementation. The development of the Play to Connect program was a continuation of research translation work of the Let’s Start parenting program which was delivered in remote Aboriginal communities across the Northern Territory, Australia from 2005–2016. The impetus for the Play to Connect program came from the community need for parenting support that could be delivered by local Aboriginal workers living in the community. The aim was to bring research and community together through the co-creation of contextually relevant knowledge directly useful for local Aboriginal facilitators. Embedded in a dynamic cycle of planning, delivery, observation and reflection, the team of local Aboriginal staff and visiting practitioners designed and piloted an innovative, user-friendly and adaptable parent–child program which was underpinned by the evaluation findings of an existing program, drawing on the framework of play therapy. The 2.5 year long process of development brought about action and change for the local Aboriginal staff. They valued the co-creation of the program and resources and reported increased knowledge of child development and confidence to deliver family support in their community. This study shows that the development of Play to Connect was more than “tailoring” a parenting program – it was a way of creating sustainable support around a program to increase the chances of continuity of implementation and successful community engagement and development.

Ghana's petroleum industry: expectations, frustrations and anger in coastal communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-424
Author(s):  
Jesse Salah Ovadia ◽  
Jasper Abembia Ayelazuno ◽  
James Van Alstine
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Negative Impacts

ABSTRACTWith much fanfare, Ghana's Jubilee Oil Field was discovered in 2007 and began producing oil in 2010. In the six coastal districts nearest the offshore fields, expectations of oil-backed development have been raised. However, there is growing concern over what locals perceive to be negative impacts of oil and gas production. Based on field research conducted in 2010 and 2015 in the same communities in each district, this paper presents a longitudinal study of the impacts (real and perceived) of oil and gas production in Ghana. With few identifiable benefits beyond corporate social responsibility projects often disconnected from local development priorities, communities are growing angrier at their loss of livelihoods, increased social ills and dispossession from land and ocean. Assuming that others must be benefiting from the petroleum resources being extracted near their communities, there is growing frustration. High expectations, real and perceived grievances, and increasing social fragmentation threaten to lead to conflict and underdevelopment.

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