Esso offshore projects
Introduction
Esso Australia, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil The drilling program is expected to start in the
Australia, is undertaking a program of work across second half of 2018 and continue for
some of its offshore assets, including those owned approximately 60 days, using the Ocean
jointly by the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture and Monarch mobile offshore drilling unit
the Kipper Unit Joint Venture, in 2018 and 2019. (MODU).
This program forms part of Esso’s ongoing The exploration wells will determine the extent of
investment in exploring for domestic gas any gas reserves contained within the field and
development opportunities to ensure that we can the potential for development of much needed
continue to meet Australia’s energy needs. new gas supplies from the Gippsland Basin, which
has been producing for more than 45 years.
This fact sheet provides high level details about the
projects, regulatory requirements and The Baldfish and Hairtail wells are located outside
consultation that is occurring to facilitate the Bass Strait "Area to be Avoided” as defined on
information sharing and stakeholder engagement. marine chart AUS357 and temporary fairways have
been established to protect the rig and other
Projects marine users (see figure below).
VIC/P70 drilling program
Temporary petroleum safety zones will also be in
Esso is undertaking an exploration drilling program
place for the duration of the drilling program, to
in the VIC/P70 block, approximately 90km off the
further provide protection. (VIC/P70 well
East Gippsland Victorian coast. The program will
coordinates: Baldfish Latitude 38° 36’ south,
involve drilling two exploration wells, known as
Longitude 148° 35’ east / Hairtail Latitude 38° 36’
Baldfish and Hairtail.
south, Longitude 148° 31’ east).
All regulatory requirements are in place with the
Esso is working with stakeholders, including the
Environmental Plan accepted by NOPSEMA on 4
Australian Marine Safety Authority, to manage the
July 2018 (a summary is available on the NOPSEMA
impact and communicate with marine users.
website and on the ExxonMobil Australia website
www.exxonmobil.com.au).
VIC/L20 Blackback
Esso is undertaking a project to work on the
Blackback wells also using the Ocean Monarch
MODU. The program is expected to start in
October 2018 and last approximately 60 days.
(Well coordinates: Latitude 38° 32’ south,
Longitude 148° 33’ east).
Temporary fairways
VIC/L20 Blackback A subsea flowline approximately 6km in length
Esso is undertaking a project to work on the connected via a subsea hot tap into the existing
Blackback wells also using the Ocean Monarch gas export pipeline and controls umbilical
MODU. The program is expected to start in the approximately 6.5 km in length to the Barracouta
second half of 2018 and continue for platform is planned to be installed. This project will
approximately 60 days. (Well coordinates: be undertaken within Esso’s current Bass Strait
Latitude 38° 32’ south, Longitude 148° 33’ east). "Area to be Avoided”.
To support the project’s development, Esso has
conducted environmental and seabed surveys
and geotechnical surveys are planned to be
completed the first half of 2019 (previously
planned for 2018), subject to regulatory
approval. The results of these surveys will be
used to assess the location of the well sites and
flowline and umbilical routes.
Seabed surveys
In addition to the seabed surveys to be conducted
for the VIC/L1 development, Esso will be
Ocean Monarch MODU conducting seabed surveys to help inform
potential drilling activities in VIC/L9, as well as
potential plug and abandonment activities at a
VIC/L1 development number of existing licence areas as shown in the
Esso is examining options to develop a gas field in figure below.
block VIC/L1 known as West Barracouta,
The proposed surveys will involve collection of
approximately 6km south west of the existing
geophysical data (i.e. measurements of seabed
Barracouta platform. The project is likely to involve
characteristics, imaging and profiling),
the drilling of two subsea wells within one
collection of water and sediment samples, and
petroleum safety zone, which will be tied back to
collection of subsea floor materials.
our existing Barracouta infrastructure in Bass
Geotechnical data will also be collected.
Strait.
To support the project’s development, Esso has
conducted environmental and seabed surveys and
geotechnical surveys are planned to be
completed the first half of 2019 (previously
planned for 2018), subject to gaining regulatory
approvals. The results of these surveys will be
used to assess the location of the well sites and
flowline and umbilical routes.
Map of proposed seabed surveys
A range of measures will be implemented to The offshore work for this project is planned to be
reduce potential environmental impacts to carried out by the Seven Eagle, a dive support
acceptable levels: vessel, in December 2018 and will take
approximately two weeks.
• Survey vessels will not anchor or refuel during
the activity
• Measures will be taken to protect marine fauna
from noise and to prevent vessel collisions
• All discharges (e.g. sewage, grey water) will
meet legal and environmental requirements
• Appropriate spill response plans will be
established
• Survey vessels will be assessed and managed
to prevent the introduction of invasive marine
species
VIC/L05 Cobia Pipeline project
The Cobia Pipeline project will undertake Dive support vessel 'Seven Eagle'
maintenance and repair works on the Cobia
pipeline, which runs from the Cobia platform to VIC/L05 Mackerel and other platform
the Halibut platform in Bass Strait. based activities
Esso is also considering work on the Mackerel
This project will be undertaken within the existing wells with the program expected to begin in
Bass Strait “Area to be Avoided” and a temporary November 2018 and continue for approximately
petroleum safety zone will be implemented to 10 months (Platform coordinates: Latitude 38°
provide protection during the project. 27’ south, 148° 18’ east), with various platform
based activities scheduled throughout 2019 to
2022.
VIC/L25 and VIC/L9 Kipper 1B and
Pilchard
Esso and its Kipper Unit Joint Venture partners
are planning to drill a number of additional
wells at Kipper (Well coordinates: Latitude 38°
11’ south, Longitude 148° 36’ east). These
wells were part of the original Kipper plan and
are referred to as Stage 1B.
The wells will be tied into the existing subsea
infrastructure within the current Kipper
petroleum safety zone as shown in the
following artist’s impression. The current
schedule is for the Kipper 1B wells to be drilled
in 2020.
Temporary petroleum safety zone for Cobia Project
Artist's impression of Kipper Subsea Facilities
In addition to the Kipper infield drilling, a Produced Formation Water (PFW)
similar gas field, Pilchard, is being assessed by As part of the accepted offshore Environment
Esso and its Gippsland Basin Joint Venturers Plans, Esso committed to undertaking in-situ
and may be drilled and developed in a future monitoring of the discharge of Produced
drilling campaign. Formation Water (PFW) to assess its potential
impact on the Bass Strait environment, including
Offshore environment regulations impacts to seawater and marine sediments.
Esso is preparing Environment Plans and
associated Oil Pollution Emergency Plans to This in-situ sampling was conducted during the
identify, assess and manage environmental risks period 28 to 29 June 2018 in the vicinity of the
for these projects. Tuna platform (Latitude 38° 10’ south, Longitude
148° 25’ east).
These plans will be submitted to the National
Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental The sampling involved adding fluorescent (FWT)
Management Authority (NOPSEMA), the red dye solution to the PFW stream as a tracer
offshore environment regulator, for review and (prior to discharge) for two hours on 28 June and
acceptance in accordance with the Offshore three hours on 29 June.
Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act
The dye allowed visual detection of the plume for
2006 and Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse
accurate sampling. Dilution was also determined
Gas Storage (Environment) Regulations 2009.
by towing a fluorometer in transects, a short
distance behind the sampling vessel at both near
In addition, Esso will be conducting a five-
field and far field locations.
yearly review of existing Environment Plans for
platforms operating in Bass Strait commencing
This type of monitoring is commonly undertaken
mid-2019, in accordance with the Offshore
to provide dispersion and dilution parameters
Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act
from discharge points such as sewage outfalls.
2006 and Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse
Gas Storage (Environment) Regulations 2009.
In developing the Environment Plans, Esso will
conduct an environmental risk assessment to
evaluate environmental risks associated with the
activities being planned, and will incorporate
prevention and mitigation measures that reduce
these risks to As Low as Reasonably Practicable
(ALARP).
Produced Formation Water tracer dye study
Consultation About Esso
We are committed to engaging with the Esso Australia is a subsidiary of ExxonMobil
communities where we operate and helping Australia, the country’s largest integrated oil
our stakeholders to understand our business. and gas company. Esso’s Longford Plants has
Esso has been consulting with stakeholders processed more than four billion barrels of oil
potentially affected by these projects through and eight trillion cubic feet of gas since
a number of different channels. production began in 1969.
As these projects develop, additional We place the highest priority on operating
consultation with stakeholders will be flawlessly in all aspects of our business. All of
conducted, including key impacts and these offshore projects will be managed in
environmental risks. accordance with all regulatory requirements, as
well as Esso’s Operational Integrity
This fact sheet provides information to allow Management System to reduce risks to ALARP.
stakeholders to make an informed assessment
of the possible consequences of the proposed
Environment Plans detailing each program of
activities to their functions, interests or
work and how the risks of the program will be
activities. We will address questions and
managed by Esso will be submitted to
consider feedback from stakeholders relating
NOPSEMA for acceptance.
to these projects throughout this consultation
process.
Esso is continuously striving to improve all
If you have any specific questions or feedback aspects of our safety performance including for
about any of these projects please contact our people, our processes, security, health, and
Esso at consultation@exxonmobil.com or call environmental performance.
03 9261 0260. For more information about our operations
please visit www.exxonmobil.com.au.
