Australian Offshore Research Articles

Toward less carbon-intensive, faster gas-to-market offshore development schemes a case study of using discovered resources in the Bedout Sub-basin

The Dorado and Pavo fields in the Bedout Sub-basin of the Roebuck Basin, offshore Western Australia, boast a combined 2C contingent resource of 210 MMbbls of liquid hydrocarbons and 750 bcf of gas. Their discovery represents a significant development opportunity for the Australian offshore, especially given the considerable un-risked Prospective Resources in the basin. However, Dorado faces challenges due to its high volatile oil/high condensate gas ratio gas (wet gas) accumulation and its reservoir pressure exceeding 5500 psia, necessitating a miscible gas injection strategy to maximise liquid recovery. This approach involves energy-intensive gas processing and high-pressure reinjection, leading to substantial greenhouse gas emissions. The CO2 intensity directly from Dorado compressors is estimated at 30–39 kg/bbl – on a project-level nearly double the average unit emissions of many producers. This paper explores alternative development schemes using public domain information and petroleum engineering principles to mitigate technical risks, reduce CO2 emissions, and possibly improve the economics and development timeline of the Dorado and Pavo fields. For Dorado, a simpler scheme focussing on oil production and gas delivery for domestic or liquefied natural gas (LNG) use could significantly reduce emissions. Meanwhile, Pavo might see development via a standalone FPSO, emphasising reservoir energy management through water flooding and produced water disposal, typical of conventional black oil field development. These alternatives aim for a less carbon intensive and economically viable development pathway, setting a precedent for future exploration and development in the basin.

Constructive Refoulement as Disguised Voluntary Return: The Internalised Externalisation of Migrants

This paper purports to extend the concept of constructive refoulement in the context of externalised migration policies. This concept has been recognised in jurisprudence at the domestic, regional and international levels, and has developed through State practice as well as the practice of regional and international organisations. In the externalisation of migration policies, constructive refoulement becomes evident in both visible and invisible prisons: the United States-Mexico partnership in the Southern Border Programme creates a situation where asylum seekers eventually abandon the hope of continuing their asylum procedures and reluctantly return to other places. The Australian offshore asylum processing system, which has been remodelled by the UK, adopts the kyriarchical system where asylum seekers themselves control their self-return to their country of origin as a result of a combined situation of severe discipline and hatred between officials and inmates as well as between the inmates themselves. Meanwhile, the EU’s Reception Conditions Directive scheme incorporates migrants in a planned destitution scenario where they are forced to choose to leave Europe due to poor socio-economic conditions. The Japanese combination of karihomen and kanrisochi also creates a planned destitute environment which compels asylum seekers themselves to seek their return by depriving them of their basic needs. Such governmentality of internalising externalisation by the Global North must be critically assessed in terms of the developing concept of constructive refoulement implied under international refugee and human rights law.

Advantages of model averaging of species sensitivity distributions used for regulating produced water discharges.

Produced water (PW) generated by Australian offshore oil and gas activities is typically discharged to the ocean after treatment. These complex mixtures of organic and inorganic compounds can pose significant environmental risk to receiving waters, if not managed appropriately. Oil and gas operators in Australia are required to demonstrate that environmental impacts of their activity are managed to levels that are as low as reasonably practicable, for example, through risk assessments comparing predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) with predicted environmental concentrations of PW. Probabilistic species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approaches are increasingly being used to derive PW PNECs and subsequently calculating dilutions of PW (termed "safe" dilutions) required to protect a nominated percentage of species in the receiving environment (e.g., 95% and 99% or PC95 and PC99, respectively). Limitations associated with SSDs include fitting a single model to small (six to eight species) data sets, resulting in large uncertainty (very wide 95% confidence limits) in the region associated with PC99 and PC95 results. Recent advances in SSD methodology, in the form of model averaging, claim to overcome some of these limitations by applying the average model fit of multiple models to a data set. We assessed the advantages and limitations of four different SSD software packages for determining PNECs for five PWs from a gas and condensate platform off the North West Shelf of Australia. Model averaging reduced occurrences of extreme uncertainty around PC95 and PC99 values compared with single model fitting and was less prone to the derivation of overly conservative PC99 and PC95 values that resulted from lack of fit to single models. Our results support the use of model averaging for improved robustness in derived PNEC and subsequent "safe" dilution values for PW discharge management and risk assessment. In addition, we present and discuss the toxicity of PW considering the paucity of such information in peer-reviewed literature. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:498-517. © 2023 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Effects of Casualisation on Mental Wellbeing and Risk Management in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry

This qualitative study was conducted with the aim of identifying psychosocial hazards in Australian offshore oil and gas facilities. Twenty-nine offshore oil and gas workers were interviewed via video link. Results indicated that, apart from the presence of a high-risk work environment as a source of mental and physical strain, there are organisational-specific stressors that cause workers' significant distress. Research results from NVivo analysis revealed that casualisation of the workforce was a major psychosocial hazard for offshore oil and gas workers, which resulted in feelings of insecurity, vulnerability and disconnection from work teams. In addition, a lack of stable income, an absence of opportunities to plan for the future and unsettled living arrangements worsen an already precarious existence. Findings show that a culture of blame and fear persists in some organisations, along with a lack of accountability and fear of making mistakes. The process of hiring, firing and rehiring was found to be a common practice by organisations in order to avoid their duty under the Fair Work Act amendments to offer casual conversion to their employees. Findings can be used to help inform organisational policies and assist in the development of risk control measures to minimise psychosocial hazards for offshore workers.

National Decommissioning Research Initiative (NDRI) phase 2 determining outcomes to inform offshore decommissioning options

The Australian offshore oil and gas (O&G) industry is facing a significant decommissioning portfolio over the next few decades. In response to this, in 2019, eight Australian oil and gas operators and the National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) established the National Decommissioning Research Initiative (NDRI) with the aim to fill key knowledge gaps on the potential environmental impacts, risks and benefits of different decommissioning options in Australia’s offshore environment. In phase 1, seven research projects were undertaken covering the interaction that occurs between the environment and O&G infrastructure in Australia’s oceans. Phase 2 of the NDRI has now commenced with a focus on developing an ecological risk assessment guidance document for O&G titleholders to be able to undertake environmental risk assessments to determine if the level of contamination associated with different offshore decommissioning options is environmentally acceptable. The paper would describe the pathway to produce guidance on science-based acceptability criteria for contamination associated with O&G infrastructure: Research needed for the development of screening values to identify if a site-specific ecological risk assessment is required. Research plans are to be developed to identify the lines of evidence that can be used to determine if impacts and risks of any contamination are of an acceptable level. Ongoing engagement of regulators, researchers and other stakeholders is a critical component on the pathway forward.

Technology Focus: Cementing and Zonal Isolation (May 2023)

In 2022, the topics of the cementing and zonal isolation papers published were generally similar to those presented in previous years. A noticeable departure from previous years, however, was that many of the authors emphasized that their work would result in a reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions. The approaches taken to reduce emissions can be broadly split into three categories: improving operational efficiency, increasing the reliability of zonal isolation (primary cementing, annulus leak repair, and plug sealing), and reducing the CO2 footprint of sealing materials. Work to improve operational efficiency and increase the reliability of zonal isolation has been ongoing since the start of well construction as general good practice to improve safety and hydrocarbon recovery and reduce costs. The efficiency and reliability improvements, however, have not regularly been promoted as reducing the environmental impact, except for cases of leak repair. Reduction of the CO2 footprint of sealing materials is a growing source of research and development activity and subsequent publication. During the past year, 13% of the cementing and zonal isolation papers published covered work on the development of geopolymer systems. Although work to develop geopolymer systems for zonal isolation has been ongoing for more than 15 years, no case histories have been published to date. The long development time is not surprising because any new system will have to be at least as reliable as the current Portland-cement-based systems; otherwise, the overall environmental impact may be worse, with more repairs or less-efficient processes offsetting the reduced CO2 footprint of the sealant. Geopolymers are not the only option to replace Portland-cement-based systems for primary cementing, and the evaluation of alternate sealant systems is certainly not new (see paper SPE-508-G from 1956). Is it time to revisit previous work in light of new environmental constraints? Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. IPTC 22019 Enhancing Slurry Pumping Efficiency, Improving Cement Coverage, and Ensuring Zonal Isolation With Temperature-Triggered Antisettling Technology by Xiangyu Liu, ChampionX, et al. SPE 210639 Thermodynamic Modeling on Wellbore Cement Integrity During Underground Hydrogen Storage in Depleted Gas Reservoirs by Lingping Zeng, Curtin University, et al. OTC 31562 Cementing the First Australian Offshore Carbon Capture and Storage Appraisal Well by Ariel Lyons, SLB, et al.

Assessing Predictions of Australian Offshore Wind Energy Resources from Reanalysis Datasets

Offshore wind farms are a current area of interest in Australia due to their ability to support its transition to renewable energy. Climate reanalysis datasets that provide simulated wind speed data are frequently used to evaluate the potential of proposed offshore wind farm locations. However, there has been a lack of comparative studies of the accuracy of wind speed predictions from different reanalysis datasets for offshore wind farms in Australian waters. This paper assesses wind speed distribution accuracy and compares predictions of offshore wind turbine power output in Australia from three international reanalysis datasets: BARRA, ERA5, and MERRA-2. Pressure level data were used to determine wind speeds and capacity factors were calculated using a turbine bounding curve. Predictions across the datasets show consistent spatial and temporal variations in the predicted plant capacity factors, but the magnitudes differ substantially. Compared to weather station data, wind speed predictions from the BARRA dataset were found to be the most accurate, with a higher correlation and lower average error than ERA5 and MERRA-2. Significant variation was seen in predictions and there was a lack of similarity with weather station measurements, which highlights the need for additional site-based measurements.

Is Australia a Model for the UK? A Critical Assessment of Parallels of Cruelty in Refugee Externalization Policies

Abstract For several years, Australia has been regarded by some politicians and observers in Europe as a model for hard-line policies towards refugees. At the same time, Australia’s implementation of refugee externalization measures has been subject to considerable scholarly attention and critique. Although the Australian approach has featured prominently in political debates in several European states, this article analyses the implications of a possible adoption of the Australian offshore detention approach for refugee policy-making in the UK, and the consequences this will have for the integrity of the international refugee protection regime. The article considers how states might influence each other’s policies—both directly and indirectly—by focusing on a case study of offshore detention and processing with regard to Australia’s influence on—and similarity to—the UK, to the extent that we observe policy parallels, as the article brings to light substantial policy convergence of detrimental practice of these two countries.

COVID-19 and offshore oil and gas workers: The role of personality

This qualitative study aimed to identify mental health hazards in the offshore oil and gas industry, as well as the role of the personality types of the Five Factor Model (FFM) in coping with these stressors. A focus group with 8 participants and a pilot study with 5 participants were conducted. Results showed that several stressors are currently present for Australian offshore oil and gas employees, in particular COVID-19 and the resulting negative effects on rosters, working hours, job security and time spent away from home. Other stressors revealed by participants were lack of space, working in a high-risk environment, stigma, helicopter travel and pressure to keep up with production. Poor safety behaviours were associated with neuroticism, extraversion and openness, while risk avoidance appear to be associated with agreeableness and conscientiousness. Tolerance to shift work was positively related to extraversion, yet negatively associated to neuroticism. Furthermore, neuroticism showed a negative association with help-seeking and productivity, as well as higher levels of concern relating to COVID-19 and job uncertainty. As personality traits are enduring throughout life, it is vital that employees are managed effectively through workplace interventions so that they are able to cope effectively, particularly during stressful events.

A NOVEL APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MITIGATION DURING CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF A WIND FARM

Offshore structures and operations significantly impact the surrounding environment, and future offshore renewable energy developments are no exception. Many Australian offshore oil and gas platforms have the potential to act as artificial reefs, creating an excellent opportunity for the growth of marine communities that are often in danger due to other human activities or environmental impacts. Decommissioning of these platforms will impose substantial risks to the existing ecosystem in those habitats. Therefore, there is a need to understand the environmental impacts of installation, operation, and maintenance (O and M) and decommissioning activities in new offshore renewable energy infrastructure prior to developments. This becomes more important in the case of future offshore wind farm development in Australia, where no historical information is available. This paper proposes a game-theoretical approach to identifying the optimum risk mitigation strategies for minimizing the environmental impact of future offshore wind infrastructure and operations. As a case study, the method is applied to examine the risks imposed by constructing and installing an offshore wind farm in the Bass Strait. The governments and regulators can adopt the proposed mitigation strategies to develop policies and legislation to ensure the sustainability of marine environments.

Concurrent 23. Presentation for: Cradle to grave: planning for all well decommissioning

Presented on Thursday 19 May: Session 23 As the Australian offshore oil and gas sector continues to mature, there is an increasing level of activity in the final phase of the well lifecycle: well decommissioning (well abandonment). Several decommissioning projects are either already in progress or being planned in Australian waters. Since the 1960s, the eventual decommissioning of wells has been an expectation within the law. Whilst this fundamental obligation has not changed, the expectations for the management of offshore wells and equipment have changed for both the industry and regulators. In the meantime, the number of unused wells grew. In 2021, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) published a Decommissioning Compliance Strategy and Decommissioning Compliance Plan. From this, all wells will have been risk assessed and have accepted abandonment plans in place by the end of 2023, and all wells will be permanently abandoned within 3 years of cessation of well operation by the end of 2025. The industry has an immediate challenge catching up on the backlog of abandoning wells, some of which have been in an unused state for decades. Going forward, well abandonment should be actively considered throughout the well lifecycle, including design, construction and operation phases. This will enable decommissioning objectives to be achieved in a safe, timely and efficient manner. This paper will provide an overview of recent domestic and international developments related to well decommissioning, from a regulatory perspective, and the importance of proactive well decommissioning planning and collaboration. To access the presentation click the link on the right. To read the full paper click here

Concurrent 23. Presentation for: National Decommissioning Research Initiative outcomes inform offshore decommissioning options

Presented on Thursday 19 May: Session 23 The Australian offshore oil and gas industry is facing a significant decommissioning portfolio over the next few decades. In response to this, in 2019, eight Australian oil and gas operators and the National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) established the National Decommissioning Research Initiative (NDRI) with the aim to fill key knowledge gaps on the potential environmental impacts, risks and benefits of different decommissioning options in Australia’s offshore environment. In Phase 1, seven research projects were undertaken covering the interaction that occurs between the environment and oil and gas infrastructure in Australia’s oceans. These projects focused on habitat, connectivity, invasive marine species, degradation of metals and non-metals and potential contaminants of concern such as mercury and naturally occurring radioactive materials. Two other projects were undertaken to gain insights into regulators, stakeholders, marine users and scientist views on offshore decommissioning risks and opportunities. This paper describes the drivers for NDRI, the outcomes of the Phase 1 projects and the future projects to be undertaken to support the environmental assessment of different decommissioning options. To access the presentation click the link on the right. To read the full paper click here

Cradle to grave: planning for all well decommissioning

As the Australian offshore oil and gas sector continues to mature, there is an increasing level of activity in the final phase of the well lifecycle: well decommissioning (well abandonment). Several decommissioning projects are either already in progress or being planned in Australian waters. Since the 1960s, the eventual decommissioning of wells has been an expectation within the law. Whilst this fundamental obligation has not changed, the expectations for the management of offshore wells and equipment have changed for both the industry and regulators. In the meantime, the number of unused wells grew. In 2021, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) published a Decommissioning Compliance Strategy and Decommissioning Compliance Plan. From this, all wells will have been risk assessed and have accepted abandonment plans in place by the end of 2023, and all wells will be permanently abandoned within 3 years of cessation of well operation by the end of 2025. The industry has an immediate challenge catching up on the backlog of abandoning wells, some of which have been in an unused state for decades. Going forward, well abandonment should be actively considered throughout the well lifecycle, including design, construction and operation phases. This will enable decommissioning objectives to be achieved in a safe, timely and efficient manner. This paper will provide an overview of recent domestic and international developments related to well decommissioning, from a regulatory perspective, and the importance of proactive well decommissioning planning and collaboration.

National Decommissioning Research Initiative outcomes inform offshore decommissioning options

The Australian offshore oil and gas industry is facing a significant decommissioning portfolio over the next few decades. In response to this, in 2019, eight Australian oil and gas operators and the National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) established the National Decommissioning Research Initiative (NDRI) with the aim to fill key knowledge gaps on the potential environmental impacts, risks and benefits of different decommissioning options in Australia’s offshore environment. In Phase 1, seven research projects were undertaken covering the interaction that occurs between the environment and oil and gas infrastructure in Australia’s oceans. These projects focused on habitat, connectivity, invasive marine species, degradation of metals and non-metals and potential contaminants of concern such as mercury and naturally occurring radioactive materials. Two other projects were undertaken to gain insights into regulators, stakeholders, marine users and scientist views on offshore decommissioning risks and opportunities. This paper describes the drivers for NDRI, the outcomes of the Phase 1 projects and the future projects to be undertaken to support the environmental assessment of different decommissioning options.

Poisson ratio-based AVO indicator to detect hydrocarbon-saturated reservoirs: example from North Western Australian Offshore

Poisson ratio-based AVO indicator to detect hydrocarbon-saturated reservoirs: example from North Western Australian Offshore

Technical Solution Improves Safety, Efficiency of Well Construction Offshore Australia

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 202353, “Drilling-Performance and Risk-Management Optimization Offshore Australia: Improving Overall Safety and Efficiency of the Well-Construction Process,” by Chandrasekhar Kirthi Singam, Farshid Hafezi, and Clyde Rebello, Schlumberger, et al., prepared for the 2020 SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, originally scheduled to be held in Perth, Australia, 20–22 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed. The emergence of real-time well construction performance-monitoring centers has improved the service delivery for operators across numerous offshore oil fields in Australia significantly. The complete paper details new technologies and work flows implemented for three Australian offshore wells, with the primary objective of improving drilling efficiency while managing associated risks. Additional objectives included optimizing daily operational performance, thus delivering time savings for the operator and highlighting areas of possible improvements. Introduction The paper describes a successful drilling campaign in a challenging field in the Timor Sea. It describes how data analysis, risk evaluation, and real-time performance monitoring can be influential in saving rig time and project success. As part of this project, a major operator in Australia decided to perform an infill drilling campaign involving three high-angle directional wells (J type) in a saturated, complex field. The campaign design stage was initiated in 2017 with a main objective of delivering the project within authority-for-expenditure (AFE) budget and with planning for all potential challenges. Technical Overview The technical solution (Fig. 1) was deployed using drilling-interpretation software and executed its work flows to achieve the required objectives.

Australia offshore well inventory characterisation and decommissioning cost saving opportunities through cap rock restoration and rigless/riserless techniques

This research utilises the Geoscience Australia and NOPIMS public database to characterise the national inventory of active offshore oil and gas (O&G) wells and, through representative examples of dry and wet completions, establish the current well decommissioning cost opportunities associated with using riserless and rigless techniques to restore cap rock. These techniques have been successfully applied in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and this study explores the potential savings and barriers to adoption in the Australian offshore operating and regulatory context. Third party studies (Bills 2018; Wood Mackenzie 2020) have reported Australian O&G decommissioning cost estimates in the range of USD 33–49 billion over the next 30–40 years. The well decommissioning contribution to the total project cost has been estimated at 49% (OGUK 2020). This cost is materially significant to the economic life of the asset, the operator’s financial liability and a significant cost burden to the Federal Government through Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) offsets. In this context there is a paucity of detail and transparency for well decommissioning cost estimates, to establish whether there are cost saving opportunities whilst still maintaining an acceptable level of risk both during plug and abandonment (P&A) operations and in the longer term when relinquished back to the Federal Government. This study illustrates how and to what extent the Australian offshore Federal well inventory could be decommissioned using cap rock restoration and rigless/riserless techniques and proposes a staged strategy to realise a progressive cost reduction of 21–41% over the base estimate of circa USD 4.08 billion benchmarked with OGUK (2019). This significant cost reduction aligns with the OGTC (2019) technology roadmap target of 35% supported in part by the pursuit of a rigless and riserless well decommissioning philosophy.

Safeguarding our sacred islands: Traditional Owner-led Sea Country governance, planning and management in Australia

This timely collation of case studies, written by and with Traditional Owners of diverse Australian offshore islands, offers direct insights into benefits arising from strategic and participatory action planning for biocultural island conservation and monitoring. We pay respect to the Old People and Elders whose dedicated care of their island homelands means we today can still experience their cultural and natural diversity. We extend greetings to our Pacifika neighbours, and to carers of islands around Earth. Our paper scopes socio-economic benefits arising from planning for islands, for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders, and more generally. Global, national, state and local co-investments support place-specific planning for some islands by Traditional Owners as a starting point toward shared governance and caring for Country. Case studies describe Country planning for Mayala Country in Australia’s northwest, Woppaburra experiences within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and integrated biocultural health monitoring arising from remote island Indigenous Protected Area planning in Torres Strait. New institutional initiatives are also seeking to create solid foundations for more substantive island research collaborations. Across Australia, novel relationships grounded in culturally assured, holistically integrated approaches to island governance and caring for Country involving Traditional Owners and island resource users/managers are creating equity in livelihoods and stronger wellbeing. Australia’s innovative Sea Country collaborations, with priorities initiated and led by island Traditional Owners, carry real value for sustained island conservation and provide positive inspirations for global humanity in the accelerating Anthropocene.

Publisher’s note: A cross continental scale comparison of Australian offshore recreational fisheries research and its applications to Marine Park and fisheries management

Publisher’s note: A cross continental scale comparison of Australian offshore recreational fisheries research and its applications to Marine Park and fisheries management

Pre-eradication assessment of feral cat density and population size across Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Abstract Context Feral cats (Felis catus) are a significant threat to wildlife in Australia and globally. In Australia, densities of feral cats vary across the continent and also between the mainland and offshore islands. Densities on small islands may be at least an order of magnitude higher than those in adjacent mainland areas. To provide cat-free havens for biodiversity, cat-control and eradication programs are increasingly occurring on Australian offshore islands. However, planning such eradications is difficult, particularly on large islands where cat densities could vary considerably. Aims In the present study, we examined how feral cat densities vary among three habitats on Kangaroo Island, a large Australian offshore island for which feral cat eradication is planned. Methods Densities were compared among the following three broad habitat types: forest, forest–farmland boundaries and farmland. To detect cats, three remote-camera arrays were deployed in each habitat type, and density around each array was calculated using a spatially explicit capture–recapture framework. Key results The average feral cat density on Kangaroo Island (0.37 cats km−2) was slightly higher than that on the Australian mainland. Densities varied from 0.06 to 3.27 cats km−2 and were inconsistent within broad habitat types. Densities were highest on farms that had a high availability of macropod and sheep carcasses. The relationship between cat density and the proportion of cleared land in the surrounding area was weak. The total feral cat population of Kangaroo Island was estimated at 1629±661 (mean±s.e.) individuals. Conclusions Cat densities on Kangaroo Island are highly variable and may be locally affected by factors such as prey and carrion availability. Implications For cat eradication to be successful, resources must be sufficient to control at least the average cat density (0.37 cats km−2), with additional effort around areas of high carcass availability (where cats are likely to be at a higher density) potentially also being required.