Activity details

Organisation	Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd
Project	Bass Strait Development
Activity types	Decommissioning, dismantling or removing a facility
In-force EP	7307
Submission date	19 December, 2022
Outcome	Accepted
Acceptance date	25 January, 2024
Locations	Gippsland
Start date	20 May, 2024
Stop date	22 August, 2024
Lifecycle Classification	Decommissioning

Please note: activity start and stop dates are based on notifications provided by the titleholder.

Titleholder contact

Activity Description

The P&A campaign will utilise the Helix Q7000 LWIV to P&A the Gudgeon-1 and Terakihi-1 subsea wells. The two wells will be permanently abandoned by installation of cement plugs as barriers, followed by the retrieval of wellheads from the seafloor. This campaign will eliminate loss of containment risks and will remove obstructions and snag points for commercial fishermen. The P&A campaign will take place in Production Licences VIC/L06 and VIC/L20 located at the edge of the Gippsland Basin of the eastern Bass Strait, and adjacent to the Bass Canyon system. The Gudgeon-1 and Terakihi-1 wells are about 7 kilometres apart and lie just outside the Bass Strait Area To Be Avoided (ATBA) and in the pathway of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) recognized Bass Strait Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). There is a requirement to establish ‘temporary fairways’ around the facilities during P&A activities, in collaboration with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). The earliest date of commencement of the P&A program is fourth quarter 2023, with all activity scheduled to be completed during second quarter, 2024. Activities will be conducted 24 hours per day, seven days per week. It is expected to take approximately 30 days per well to complete P&A activities, inclusive of LWIV positioning activities, dependent on weather, scheduling and well conditions.

Location map (click to enlarge)

Accepted EP Documents

EP Document	A1049537 (79.2 MB)

Related EP assessments

7307 (Click to view)