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
Thylacine Platform
OFFSHORE
Otway Offshore Project
Beach is continuing development of the Otway offshore basin natural gas reserves within existing Commonwealth offshore exploration permits and production licenses, approximately 32 to 80 km from Port Campbell, Victoria.
The Otway Offshore Project will ensure ongoing production at the Otway Gas Plant, which supplies natural gas to Victoria.
Activities will run over several phases starting with seabed assessments, drilling exploration and production wells in the Geographe and Thylacine gas fields, and installing seabed infrastructure to tie-in wells to the existing platform and pipeline.
Further wells will be explored in the Artisan and La Bella fields and if successful, production wells will be developed and tied into existing infrastructure. An Offshore Project Proposal is being prepared for development of these fields.
Stakeholder consultation is an important part of preparing Environment Plans for this project as it contributes to our understanding of local issues and concerns, and ensures our planning manages potential impacts.
Throughout its planning for this project, Beach has continued engagement with the commercial fishing sector and other stakeholders, and is keen to hear from any community members who would like further information or have any questions.
Download the information sheets below for further information.
Otway Offshore Information Sheets
OTWAY OFFSHORE PROJECT SUMMARY
DRILLING LOCATIONS AND TIMINGS
Artisan Exploration Drilling EP
Otway Offshore Project – Detailed info sheet
Offshore Project Proposal – Artisan and La Bella gas fields.
In addition to the seabed assessments for the Otway Offshore Project, Beach is also planning a seabed assessment within its T/30P permit. Download the information sheet by clicking the button below to learn more.
Diamond Ocean Onyx
Otway Gas Plant
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.
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.
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.
OTWAY PIPELINE SAFETY AWARENESS
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.
Nearshore Activities
Enterprise Project
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 recent testing and assessment of the well has 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 new 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 the information sheet below.
Enterprise Project Information Sheet
Enterprise Project – COVID-19 Information
Enterprise Pipeline Information Sheet
For more information on the Enterprise Pipeline, click the button below:
Rig EWG 106 at Haselgrove 4
Black Watch Project
Drilling of the Black Watch 1 well was successfully completed in April 2020. The Black Watch 1 well is expected to be tied into the Otway Gas Plant in the June 2020 quarter.
More information about the project is available on the Halladale, Black Watch and Speculant Project Information Sheet which is available for download below.
Halladale and Speculant well head
Extended Reach Drilling
The Enterprise Project and the Halladale, Black Watch and Speculant Project use an ‘extended reach drilling’ method. This allows for offshore natural gas reservoirs to be accessed from an onshore well site.
This proven technology is safe, efficient, has minimal environment impact, and limits the visual impact by avoiding the need for an offshore drill rig.
This method involves drilling up to 2000 metres below the surface, while using directional drilling techniques to steer the well offshore, reaching a total drilling distance of around 6.5 kilometres to the potential gas reservoirs under the seabed.
Key facts
- Safety and environmental sustainability are priorities for Beach, and only proven technologies are used in our operations
- Beach does not undertake any fracture stimulation (fraccing) activities in Victoria
- Beach first held permits for the Otway Basin in the 1970s, and drilled its first commercial natural gas discovery in the basin.
- Beach provides local employment opportunities at the Otway Gas Plant and local drilling operations
- Beach is a strong supporter of the local community and undertakes a number of local sponsorships with local clubs and organisations. To view more information on Beach’s community partnerships click the link below:
MORE INFORMATION
To learn more about Beach’s operations in the Victorian Otway Basin, contact our Community Relations Manager (Victoria):
Blair McNaught
Community Relations Manager – Victoria
community@beachenergy.com.au
For more information on the petroleum industry regulatory processes in Victoria please visit:
Dept of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (Earth Resources)
To register interest in tendering for key goods and services for the Otway Offshore program, visit the following link:
Or contact:
John Howarth
Ph. + 61 8 8115 5214
John.Howarth@beachenergy.com.au