❓ This WA parliamentary question addresses pollution and contamination monitoring on Barrow Island, focusing on specific incidents, monitoring programs, and environmental management practices related to oil and gas operations and the Gorgon LNG Project.
AnsweredQoN 2856Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the environmental conditions on or around Barrow Island, and ask: (a) how is pollution monitored and reported; (b) is there, or has there ever been, any pollution on or around the island; (c) if yes to (b), please provide information on the type, how it was caused and mitigated, and the environmental impact; (d) how is contamination monitored and reported; (e) is there, or has there ever been, any contamination on or around the island; (f) if yes to (e), please provide information on the type of contamination, how it was caused and mitigated, and the environmental impact; (g) how is groundwater monitored and reported; (h) is the groundwater monitoring comprehensive; (i) if yes to (h), how is this known; (j) if no to (h), why not; and (k) what are the key concerns for the department and agencies for ensuring the environmental conditions on the island are maintained?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 April 2015
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
40 days
The Minister for Environment has provided the following response.
(a) Environmental monitoring is carried out by the Barrow Island facility operators as specified in Ministerial Statements, licences granted under Part V of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
, and specific monitoring plans developed by the operators.
Incidents that have caused or are likely to cause pollution are reported to the Department of Environment Regulation under section 72 of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
and relevant conditions of licences granted under Part V of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986.
Information is obtained regarding the type of incident, the cause of the incident, the potential impact on the environment, and the action taken by the operator to prevent, control, abate or mitigate the pollution.
(b) Records available since 2004 identify two incidents as having caused or likely to cause pollution.
(c) On 22 March 2011: 15 000 litres of raw sewage was released into the environment during an unplanned shutdown of the production camp wastewater treatment plant, caused by a failed float and blocked valve. Any potential recurrence was mitigated by improving the cleaning maintenance schedule for the pipe. No significant long-term environmental impacts were found.
On 23 February 2013: 2 500 to 3 000 litres of partially treated effluent was sprayed onto native vegetation through a crack which had developed in the digester tank at the 600EP wastewater treatment plant. The event was identified during a routine inspection and the tank was subsequently replaced. The cause was determined to be accidental. Impacted vegetation was monitored and recovered from the high nutrient load.
(d) Priority areas of contamination are monitored by the Barrow Island facility operators. Monitoring reports are provided to the Department of Environment Regulation through its Contaminated Sites function.
(e) Barrow Island was classified under the
Contaminated Sites Act 2003
as 'contaminated - remediation required' on 1 December 2006. Information on Barrow Island's classification in the form of a "Basic Summary of Records" is publicly available on the Department of Environment Regulation's website.
(f) Barrow Island has been the site of an active oilfield since 1964, an industry that has the potential to cause contamination. Historical practices within the oil and gas industry, along with the layout of operation and storage facilities on Barrow Island, have resulted in a number of areas across the Island impacted by hydrocarbon contamination. The Basic Summary of Records for Barrow Island contains details of the type of contamination, how it was caused and mitigated, and the environmental impact. [See tabled paper No # ].
(g) Groundwater is monitored and reported in accordance with relevant licences granted under Part V of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
, and Ministerial Statement conditions. Two groundwater monitoring programs are operated on the Barrow Island Nature Reserve; one associated with the Barrow Island Oil and Gas Facility (in accordance with the
Barrow Island Operating Oilfield Facilities Groundwater Management Plan
and
Environmental Protection Act 1986
Licence L4467/1972/14) and one associated with the Gorgon LNG Project (in accordance with the
Terrestrial and Subterranean Environmental Monitoring Program
required by Ministerial Statement 800).
Results of monitoring conducted in accordance with Part V licence conditions are reported to the Department of Environment Regulation in an Annual Environmental Report. Monitoring carried out under Ministerial Statement conditions is reported in the annual Performance Review Report to the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority and the Department of Parks and Wildlife.
(h) Yes. Groundwater monitoring associated with the Barrow Island Oil and Gas Facility is conducted in accordance with the
Barrow Island Operating Oilfield Facilities Groundwater Management Plan
. This groundwater monitoring program has been reviewed by the Department of Environment Regulation and deemed appropriate. The
Terrestrial and Subterranean Environmental Monitoring Program
associated with the Gorgon LNG project was approved by the then Department of Environment and Conservation under authorisation from the Minister for Environment
.
(i) Please refer to (h).
(j) Not applicable
(k) The Office of the Environmental Protection Authority and the Department of Environment Regulation continue to monitor compliance with the conditions of the Ministerial Statements and Licences, respectively, and take appropriate enforcement action, as required.
(a) Environmental monitoring is carried out by the Barrow Island facility operators as specified in Ministerial Statements, licences granted under Part V of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
, and specific monitoring plans developed by the operators.
Incidents that have caused or are likely to cause pollution are reported to the Department of Environment Regulation under section 72 of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
and relevant conditions of licences granted under Part V of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986.
Information is obtained regarding the type of incident, the cause of the incident, the potential impact on the environment, and the action taken by the operator to prevent, control, abate or mitigate the pollution.
(b) Records available since 2004 identify two incidents as having caused or likely to cause pollution.
(c) On 22 March 2011: 15 000 litres of raw sewage was released into the environment during an unplanned shutdown of the production camp wastewater treatment plant, caused by a failed float and blocked valve. Any potential recurrence was mitigated by improving the cleaning maintenance schedule for the pipe. No significant long-term environmental impacts were found.
On 23 February 2013: 2 500 to 3 000 litres of partially treated effluent was sprayed onto native vegetation through a crack which had developed in the digester tank at the 600EP wastewater treatment plant. The event was identified during a routine inspection and the tank was subsequently replaced. The cause was determined to be accidental. Impacted vegetation was monitored and recovered from the high nutrient load.
(d) Priority areas of contamination are monitored by the Barrow Island facility operators. Monitoring reports are provided to the Department of Environment Regulation through its Contaminated Sites function.
(e) Barrow Island was classified under the
Contaminated Sites Act 2003
as 'contaminated - remediation required' on 1 December 2006. Information on Barrow Island's classification in the form of a "Basic Summary of Records" is publicly available on the Department of Environment Regulation's website.
(f) Barrow Island has been the site of an active oilfield since 1964, an industry that has the potential to cause contamination. Historical practices within the oil and gas industry, along with the layout of operation and storage facilities on Barrow Island, have resulted in a number of areas across the Island impacted by hydrocarbon contamination. The Basic Summary of Records for Barrow Island contains details of the type of contamination, how it was caused and mitigated, and the environmental impact. [See tabled paper No # ].
(g) Groundwater is monitored and reported in accordance with relevant licences granted under Part V of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
, and Ministerial Statement conditions. Two groundwater monitoring programs are operated on the Barrow Island Nature Reserve; one associated with the Barrow Island Oil and Gas Facility (in accordance with the
Barrow Island Operating Oilfield Facilities Groundwater Management Plan
and
Environmental Protection Act 1986
Licence L4467/1972/14) and one associated with the Gorgon LNG Project (in accordance with the
Terrestrial and Subterranean Environmental Monitoring Program
required by Ministerial Statement 800).
Results of monitoring conducted in accordance with Part V licence conditions are reported to the Department of Environment Regulation in an Annual Environmental Report. Monitoring carried out under Ministerial Statement conditions is reported in the annual Performance Review Report to the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority and the Department of Parks and Wildlife.
(h) Yes. Groundwater monitoring associated with the Barrow Island Oil and Gas Facility is conducted in accordance with the
Barrow Island Operating Oilfield Facilities Groundwater Management Plan
. This groundwater monitoring program has been reviewed by the Department of Environment Regulation and deemed appropriate. The
Terrestrial and Subterranean Environmental Monitoring Program
associated with the Gorgon LNG project was approved by the then Department of Environment and Conservation under authorisation from the Minister for Environment
.
(i) Please refer to (h).
(j) Not applicable
(k) The Office of the Environmental Protection Authority and the Department of Environment Regulation continue to monitor compliance with the conditions of the Ministerial Statements and Licences, respectively, and take appropriate enforcement action, as required.
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