GAS giant Santos will appear at the Karratha Magistrates Court on 6 January 2025 facing legal proceedings over a condensate spill at the Varanus Island Marine Terminal in 2022.
The WA Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) started legal proceedings against Santos WA Northwest Pty Ltd following the spill.
In a 26 November media release DMIRS said the spill occurred during an offloading operation, resulting in the release of around 25,000 litres of condensate into the marine environment.
DEMIRS alleges Santos did not operate its licensed pipeline in a proper and workmanlike manner by failing to prevent the escape of petroleum as required under the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1982.
In response to the spill, DEMIRS required Santos to strengthen its operational controls by amending the company’s environmental plan to reduce the risk of future incidents.
DEMIRS Executive Director of Resource and Environmental Compliance Tyler Sujdovic said the incident underlines the importance of robust, proactive risk management and strict adherence to safety and environmental regulations.
“The benefits of resource extraction must not come at the expense of Western Australia’s long-term environmental sustainability,” Mr Sujdovic said.
“The department will continue to work with industry and local communities to ensure resource projects strike the right balance between extraction and environmental stewardship.”
The spill was highlighted in the federal parliament by Independent ACT senator David Pocock in February last year with claims from a whistleblower that Santos had covered up the full extent of the oil spill.
Mr Pocock tabled photographs of the spill and a dead dolphin claimed to be in the waters off Varanus Island.
At the time, a spokesperson for Santos said the impact to the environment from the condensate was negligible and would evaporate naturally within 24 hours.
