Decommissioning Facilities in Australia's Offshore Areas - Whose Responsibility?
Article from: OGEL 2 (2018), in Decommissioning
Summary
Since 1967, commonwealth law has governed offshore petroleum activities while states and territories have administered coastal waters. Large developments have occurred, but no major facilities have yet been decommissioned. Some smaller installations have been completely removed, while others have been left in situ. This paper reflects on the current legislative and regulatory approvals framework, considers likely issues arising in decommissioning large developments over the next 25 years, and highlights some proposed modifications to the regulatory regime.