Through production at the Otway Gas Plant near Port Campbell and the Lang Lang Gas Plant, 80 kms south-east of Melbourne CBD, Beach Energy (Beach) supplies natural gas to the east coast market, which delivers energy to Victorian homes, business and industry.

Beach safely drilled one exploration well and six production wells in its Otway Basin offshore Commonwealth permits from February 2021 to July 2022. Four production wells from that project have been connected and are now producing gas for the east coast market, with two remaining wells planned for connection in late 2024.

Beach is continuing its commitment to supply natural gas to the east coast gas market and, in June 2023, commenced consultation on Offshore Gas Victoria (OGV) Project activities in the course of preparing Environment Plans and an Offshore Project Proposal. The OGV Project consists of a number of activities that would occur in several phases subject to approvals (see OGV Project timeline).

Environment protection regulations

The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), regulates activities in accordance with the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Environment) Regulations (2009) (Environment Regulations). The OGV Project will require Environment Plans to be accepted by NOPSEMA before commencement of activities.

Environment Plans must include a description of the existing environment and the proposed activities, an evaluation of the impacts and risks, environmental performance outcomes and controls, implementation strategy, and reporting requirements. They must also demonstrate that consultations with persons or organisations whose functions, interests and activities may be affected by the activities in the Environment Plan (“relevant persons”), have been carried out in accordance with the regulations.

For successful gas discoveries that will proceed to development, an Offshore Project Proposal (OPP) will be required and will undergo a public consultation phase. Once an OPP is accepted, further Environment Plans will be required for construction activities and commissioning the new wells.

Consultation with Relevant Persons

Purpose of consultation

Consultation with Relevant Persons is an important part of developing Environment Plans (EP) as its purpose is to ensure that potential impacts have been identified and appropriate measures adopted because of the consultations.

Beach Energy is providing - and will continue to provide - a range of consultation methods and opportunities including this online consultation hub (Engage Beach) where you can ask questions, as well as information sessions, online webinars, phone calls, emails and meetings. Please contact us if you would like to discuss your preferred approach to consultation.

Relevant Persons

A ‘Relevant Person’ is defined in the Regulations as including a person or organisation whose functions, interests or activities may be affected by the activities to be carried out under an EP.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your functions, interest or activities in relation to the activities proposed under the Well Completions & Interventions EP.

If you know of any person or organisation who you believe may be a Relevant Person, please pass on our contact details to them.

Sufficient information

The Regulations also require that Relevant Persons must be provided sufficient information to allow them to make an informed assessment of the possible consequences of the EP activity on their functions, interests or activities.

On this online engagement hub Engage Beach you will find information prepared in a variety of styles including: short summaries; long descriptions; diagrams; maps; questions and answer formats; and detailed information on a range of topics related to the activities.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss information you are seeking in relation to EP activities.

Reasonable period

The Regulations also require that titleholders allow Relevant Persons a reasonable period of time for consultation. What is a reasonable period for consultation will depend on the nature of an activity, the potential impacts and risks on a relevant person’s functions, interest or activities, and is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Sensitive information

In accordance with regulations, each EP must include a report on all consultations and a copy of the full text of any response by a Relevant Person.

Relevant Persons may request that the information they provide not be published, and it will be identified as sensitive information and not published in the Environment Plans.

NOPSEMA consultation brochure

For further information regarding consultation, please see NOSPEMA’s Brochure titled ‘Consultation on offshore petroleum environment plans’, found here.

Contact us

Please contact us if you would like further information, have any questions, or feedback, or wish to consult with us about how the activities may impact your functions, interests or activities.

Beach will take into consideration all feedback, including any concerns or objections and will explore measures to reduce any impacts and risks.

Online: www.engage.beachenergy.com.au

Phone: 1800 797 011

Email: community@beachenergy.com.au