THE MARITIME Union of Australia has called into question the long-term safety of Australia’s offshore oil and gas infrastructure.
The MUA has highlighted a new report published this week scrutinising the safety and integrity of seafloor wells as Australia’s offshore oil and gas infrastructure goes offline.
The union, which represents waterfront workers, seafarers, professional divers, and office workers associated with Australian ports, says new research indicates that almost 25% of all offshore wells experience some kind of well integrity issue or failure.
Historically, wells that have been plugged and abandoned as part of the decommissioning process are those most likely to see issues arise, the MUA says, underlining the financial cost with no potential return to the operator at the end of the production life of the well.
At a report launch in Parliament House yesterday, members of the MUA joined with Professor Tina Soliman-Hunter from the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Innovation and Transformation at Macquarie University, to call on a strengthened regulatory framework for offshore oil and gas fields coming to the end of their natural production lifetime.
The report makes a series of six recommendations to the Australian Federal Government to adopt the best practice methodologies for the end-of-life handling of wells, improve inspection and compliance, and to remediate leaking wells.
The report is Professor Soliman-Hunter’s second major academic report on the topic of offshore oil and gas decommissioning, says the MUA, and complements her recent report outlining best practices for dismantling, recycling and disposal of offshore petroleum structures.
The MUA’s assistant national secretary, Thomas Mayo, welcomed the report and expressed the dire need for action to ensure oil and gas companies meet their obligations to “clean up their mess”.
“The report recognises both the shortfall in legislation and how offshore oil and gas giants are gaining the system so they might sail over the horizon with trillions of dollars from our resources, leaving a mess for taxpayers to clean up,” Mr Mayo said.
“There must be a regime of maintenance, monitoring and remediation for those plugged wells so that they remain safely capped.
“There are thousands of jobs for Australian workers if we get this right, and massive benefits for onshore and offshore businesses.”
Liam O’Brien, assistant secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions said the ACTU stands with the MUA in calling for the implementation of the report’s recommendations to ensure these offshore wells are managed safely and responsibly.
“This is about protecting working people, their environment, and their future,” Mr O’Brien said.
Thomas Mortimer, policy director of the Australian Workers Union, said;
“Decommissioning done right can drive onshore and offshore jobs, local manufacturing and sound environmental outcomes. Australia should be leading the field here, but our laws need to catch up.”
