A WA parliamentary question addresses smoke emissions from Woodside's NWS Venture gas plant, questioning their legality and the Department of Environment's response. The Minister's response indicates the emissions were within licensed limits and no further action was required.

AnsweredQoN 2090Legislative Council
Asked
21 June 2005
Portfolio
the Environment

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the operations of Woodside’s NWS Venture’s onshore gas plant, located on the Burrup Peninsula, near Karratha and web photographs taken at 7.00 am from Karratha on the morning of June 5 2005 showing smoke emissions from the Woodside plant,
http://members.iinet.net.au/~f4949/Woodside/Woodside.html
(1) With reference to the photos, are these type of emissions normal and permitted under existing licences?
(2) If yes to (1), why?
(3) If no to (1), was the Department of the Environment (DOE) advised by Woodside of this incident?
(4) If yes to (3), on what date and at what time?
(5) If no to (3), why not?
(6) is the DOE investigating the incident?
(7) If yes to (4), will the Minister table that advice?
(8) What action is being undertaken by the DOE and Woodside to curtail these events?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
16 August 2005
Responded by
Minister for Education and Training representing the Minister for the Environment
Response time
56 days
The Minister for the Environment; Science has provided the following response: (1) Yes, see below. (2) Woodside's Environmental Protection Act licence condition A5(a) sets limits for dark smoke emissions relating to scale and duration, while condition A5(c) requires certain information to be reported to the Department of Environment following any dark smoke event. Based on information reported by Woodside in accordance with condition A5(c), the emission on the morning 5 June 2005 at 7:00 am did not exceed the limits set in condition A5 (a). (3-5) Not applicable. (6) No. (7) Not applicable. (8) Licence conditions set by the Department of Environment regulate dark smoke emissions by Woodside.
(1) Yes, see below. (2) Woodside's Environmental Protection Act licence condition A5(a) sets limits for dark smoke emissions relating to scale and duration, while condition A5(c) requires certain information to be reported to the Department of Environment following any dark smoke event. Based on information reported by Woodside in accordance with condition A5(c), the emission on the morning 5 June 2005 at 7:00 am did not exceed the limits set in condition A5 (a). (3-5) Not applicable. (6) No. (7) Not applicable. (8) Licence conditions set by the Department of Environment regulate dark smoke emissions by Woodside.
(2) Woodside's Environmental Protection Act licence condition A5(a) sets limits for dark smoke emissions relating to scale and duration, while condition A5(c) requires certain information to be reported to the Department of Environment following any dark smoke event. Based on information reported by Woodside in accordance with condition A5(c), the emission on the morning 5 June 2005 at 7:00 am did not exceed the limits set in condition A5 (a). (3-5) Not applicable. (6) No. (7) Not applicable. (8) Licence conditions set by the Department of Environment regulate dark smoke emissions by Woodside.
(3-5) Not applicable. (6) No. (7) Not applicable. (8) Licence conditions set by the Department of Environment regulate dark smoke emissions by Woodside.
(6) No. (7) Not applicable. (8) Licence conditions set by the Department of Environment regulate dark smoke emissions by Woodside.
(7) Not applicable. (8) Licence conditions set by the Department of Environment regulate dark smoke emissions by Woodside.
(8) Licence conditions set by the Department of Environment regulate dark smoke emissions by Woodside.

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