Otway Basin (Victoria)
The Otway Basin is an onshore and offshore basin which extends approximately 500 kilometres from Cape Jaffa in South Australia to north-west Tasmania.
In Victoria, Beach’s operations in the Otway Basin involve natural gas production from the Halladale and Speculant natural gas fields, as well as the Geographe and Thylacine gas fields, with natural gas being piped and processed at the Otway Gas Plant near Port Campbell.
Once processed, the natural gas is sold to retailers who use it for domestic or commercial consumption in the East Coast gas market.
Otway Gas Plant, Victoria
otway gas plant
The Otway Gas Plant is located near Port Campbell in south west Victoria.
It started processing natural gas piped from the Geographe and Thylacine offshore production wells in 2006.
In August 2016, natural gas was successfully extracted from the Halladale, Black Watch and Speculant gas fields.
Natural gas from the Halladale 1 and Speculant 1 and 2 production wells are now flowing from through 33km of buried pipeline to the Otway Gas Plant for processing.
Drilling of the Black Watch 1 well was successfully completed on 19 April 2020. The Black Watch 1 well is expected to be tied into the Otway Gas Plant mid-2020.
Once processed, the natural gas from the Otway Gas Plant is sold to retailers who use it for domestic or commercial consumption in the East Coast gas market.
The Otway Offshore Operations Environment Plan is reviewed every five years. The current Environment Plan can be viewed here https://info.nopsema.gov.au/activities/42/show_public.
Otway Gas Plant
Otway Gas Plant, Victoria
Otway Gas Plant Safety Case
The Otway Gas Plant is licensed as a Major Hazard Facility in accordance with the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Regulations and is required to have a Safety Case in place. The Safety Case is assessed by WorkSafe Victoria and provides the basis for the facility licensing decision. The document below presents a summary of the Otway Gas Plant Safety Case and is provided to the local community and municipal councils in accordance with the requirements of the Victorian OH&S Regulations.
OTWAY GAS PLANT SAFETY CASE SUMMARY
Pipelines
Beach owns and operates the Halladale Black Watch and Speculant Pipeline (PL006009) and the Otway Raw Gas Pipeline (PL250), which flow the raw natural gas to the Otway Gas Plant. To view information regarding Beach’s pipeline safety awareness, click the link below.
Our Permits
Beach Energy has been granted a new offshore exploration permit in Victorian waters in the Otway Basin, in close proximity to Beach’s existing assets in south west Victoria.
Beach Energy is committed to the safe and sustainable development of natural gas, processed at the Otway Gas Plant near Port Campbell, for use by Victorian households and businesses.
Our focus presently is the delivery of our offshore program, as well as the Enterprise onshore-to-offshore exploration well, which follows the successful drilling of the Black Watch well near Nirranda South earlier this year.
When Beach commences planning for environmental approvals required for any activities in the permit area, we will undertake extensive consultation with the fishing industry with whom Beach already has existing relationships, in addition to a broad range of stakeholders in the community.
We look forward to continuing our positive relationship with the local community, and supporting the economy through local employment and the procurement of local goods and services.
Thylacine Platform
ACTIVITIES
Offshore Gas Victoria Project
Beach is continuing its commitment to supply natural gas to the east coast domestic market and has commenced planning for the Offshore Gas Victoria Project.
Subject to internal and external approvals, the project would operate in the offshore Otway and Bass basins (Commonwealth waters) through different activities across several phases. These phases include; seabed assessments, removal of up to five suspended wells, drilling three to eight exploration and appraisal wells and completing and connecting wells.
Project timings would be confirmed after internal and external project approvals, confirmation of contractor vessels and drill rig availability and weather conditions.
Offshore Gas Victoria Project HOME
To register interest in tendering for key goods and services for the Offshore Gas Victoria (OGV) Project, visit the following link:
Offshore Gas Victoria – ICN Gateway
Otway Offshore Project
Beach is in the process of connecting wells from the Otway Phase 4 drilling campaign, which occurred in 2021-2022. These new wells will add additional gas volumes to the Otway Gas Plant, for use within the Australian East Coast gas market.
Calico project
The Calico Project is part of Beach Energy’s plans to assess gas reservoirs in the Victorian Otway Basin.
This is so Beach can continue natural gas development, to meet the demands of Australian homes and businesses.
A low-impact exploratory seismic survey is required to assess gas reservoirs in Victorian offshore permits that Beach already holds. It is planned to occur over State waters and adjacent land areas in the Port Campbell and Peterborough region of South West Victoria, where Beach holds existing permits.
The survey will not take place in the 12 Apostles Marine National Park, or in the Arches Marine Sanctuary.
Advanced surveying techniques would be used in the survey, and it would operate under stringent regulatory conditions and approvals.
Further information about the proposed Calico Project is available via the information sheet below.
Calico Survey coastal view
Enterprise
The Enterprise Project is a program to develop additional offshore natural gas reservoirs in the Victorian Otway Basin. The reservoirs are located offshore, up to 3 nautical miles (5.55 km) from the coastline, while the well site is located onshore near Port Campbell.
The Enterprise-1 exploration well was successfully completed in December 2020 and testing and assessment of the well delivered a positive result, which will help ensure the continued supply of raw gas to the Otway Gas Plant for processing and supply to the Australian domestic natural gas market. Beach is now planning for the construction of a pipeline to flow the gas to the Otway Gas Plant near Port Campbell.
Information about the Enterprise Project and Enterprise Pipeline Consultation, is available on at project page below:
Rig EWG 106 at Haselgrove 4
MORE INFORMATION
To learn more about Beach’s operations in the Victorian Otway Basin, contact our Community Relations team:
Community Relations team
community@beachenergy.com.au
Ph: 1800 797 011
For more information on the petroleum industry regulatory processes please visit:
National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA)
Dept of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (Resources Victoria)
To register interest in tendering for key goods and services for the Otway Offshore program, visit the following link:
Or contact:
Leanne Brennan
Ph. 0437 925 581
Leanne.Brennan@beachenergy.com.au