A parliamentary question regarding the safety and integrity regulation of the Varanus Island gas plant following an explosion, specifically concerning the Department of Industry and Resources' responsibilities and inspection history. The Minister acknowledges responsibilities but doesn't have immediate answers on inspection details.

AnsweredQoN 294Legislative Assembly
Asked
12 June 2008
Portfolio
Energy

QuestionView source ↗

APACHE ENERGY GAS PLANT EXPLOSION — DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES
(1) Will the minister confirm that the Department of Industry and Resources has responsibility for regulating the safety and integrity of the Varanus Island facility? (2) Will the minister also confirm that this responsibility was retained by DOIR even after the commencement of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority in January 2005? (3) Given this responsibility, will the minister inform the house how many safety inspections have been undertaken of the Varanus Island facilities over the past two years? (4) Have any reports on the Varanus Island facilities, or any other offshore facilities, been prepared as a result of inspections during the past five years; and, if so, how many? Mr F.M. LOGAN

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. (1) I can confirm that the Department of Industry and Resources is responsible for the integrity of the pipelines coming into the Varanus Island operation and other pipelines in the state, such as the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline. That level of responsibility does come under the Petroleum Pipelines Act. (2) I can confirm that the legislative responsibility for that act is retained with DOIR, despite the fact that inspection services have been contracted out to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority. Nevertheless, the jurisdictional responsibility is still retained with the Department of Industry and Resources. (3)-(4) That is exactly the information that I am seeking from the department right now.
(2) Will the minister also confirm that this responsibility was retained by DOIR even after the commencement of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority in January 2005? (3) Given this responsibility, will the minister inform the house how many safety inspections have been undertaken of the Varanus Island facilities over the past two years? (4) Have any reports on the Varanus Island facilities, or any other offshore facilities, been prepared as a result of inspections during the past five years; and, if so, how many? Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. (1) I can confirm that the Department of Industry and Resources is responsible for the integrity of the pipelines coming into the Varanus Island operation and other pipelines in the state, such as the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline. That level of responsibility does come under the Petroleum Pipelines Act. (2) I can confirm that the legislative responsibility for that act is retained with DOIR, despite the fact that inspection services have been contracted out to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority. Nevertheless, the jurisdictional responsibility is still retained with the Department of Industry and Resources. (3)-(4) That is exactly the information that I am seeking from the department right now.
(3) Given this responsibility, will the minister inform the house how many safety inspections have been undertaken of the Varanus Island facilities over the past two years? (4) Have any reports on the Varanus Island facilities, or any other offshore facilities, been prepared as a result of inspections during the past five years; and, if so, how many? Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. (1) I can confirm that the Department of Industry and Resources is responsible for the integrity of the pipelines coming into the Varanus Island operation and other pipelines in the state, such as the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline. That level of responsibility does come under the Petroleum Pipelines Act. (2) I can confirm that the legislative responsibility for that act is retained with DOIR, despite the fact that inspection services have been contracted out to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority. Nevertheless, the jurisdictional responsibility is still retained with the Department of Industry and Resources. (3)-(4) That is exactly the information that I am seeking from the department right now.
(4) Have any reports on the Varanus Island facilities, or any other offshore facilities, been prepared as a result of inspections during the past five years; and, if so, how many? Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. (1) I can confirm that the Department of Industry and Resources is responsible for the integrity of the pipelines coming into the Varanus Island operation and other pipelines in the state, such as the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline. That level of responsibility does come under the Petroleum Pipelines Act. (2) I can confirm that the legislative responsibility for that act is retained with DOIR, despite the fact that inspection services have been contracted out to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority. Nevertheless, the jurisdictional responsibility is still retained with the Department of Industry and Resources. (3)-(4) That is exactly the information that I am seeking from the department right now.
Mr F.M. LOGAN replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. (1) I can confirm that the Department of Industry and Resources is responsible for the integrity of the pipelines coming into the Varanus Island operation and other pipelines in the state, such as the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline. That level of responsibility does come under the Petroleum Pipelines Act. (2) I can confirm that the legislative responsibility for that act is retained with DOIR, despite the fact that inspection services have been contracted out to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority. Nevertheless, the jurisdictional responsibility is still retained with the Department of Industry and Resources. (3)-(4) That is exactly the information that I am seeking from the department right now.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. (1) I can confirm that the Department of Industry and Resources is responsible for the integrity of the pipelines coming into the Varanus Island operation and other pipelines in the state, such as the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline. That level of responsibility does come under the Petroleum Pipelines Act. (2) I can confirm that the legislative responsibility for that act is retained with DOIR, despite the fact that inspection services have been contracted out to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority. Nevertheless, the jurisdictional responsibility is still retained with the Department of Industry and Resources. (3)-(4) That is exactly the information that I am seeking from the department right now.
(1) I can confirm that the Department of Industry and Resources is responsible for the integrity of the pipelines coming into the Varanus Island operation and other pipelines in the state, such as the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline. That level of responsibility does come under the Petroleum Pipelines Act. (2) I can confirm that the legislative responsibility for that act is retained with DOIR, despite the fact that inspection services have been contracted out to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority. Nevertheless, the jurisdictional responsibility is still retained with the Department of Industry and Resources. (3)-(4) That is exactly the information that I am seeking from the department right now.
(2) I can confirm that the legislative responsibility for that act is retained with DOIR, despite the fact that inspection services have been contracted out to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority. Nevertheless, the jurisdictional responsibility is still retained with the Department of Industry and Resources. (3)-(4) That is exactly the information that I am seeking from the department right now.
(3)-(4) That is exactly the information that I am seeking from the department right now.

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