Regulation of petroleum resources
The EPA licenses all production-related activities that fall within the prescribed activity of petroleum production, storage or processing in accordance with Schedule 1 of the EP Act. In general terms, regulatory focus has been on inspecting facilities and, where applicable, ensuring facilities upgrade, remediation or monitoring are consistent with the EPA’s regulatory requirements.
Petroleum production, storage or processing activities also fall under the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Act 2000 and, consequently, the EPA provides advice to the DSD, (formerly DMITRE)) about enforcement standards and guidelines to ensure that requirements are included in proposals (and licences).
The EPA and DSD ensure consistency and knowledge sharing in a collaborative approach as outlined in an Administrative Agreement between these agencies. The EPA has facilitated cooperation by providing:
- comment on petroleum and geothermal activities assessed by DSD as being of low and medium environmental impact
- assistance and specialist advice to DSD relating to water quality, air quality, site contamination and radiation issues
- comment on the content of the environmental impact reports and statements of environmental objectives required for submission to DSD, including
- Cooper Basin: 1-MW geothermal power plant
- Caroline (near Mt Gambier): carbon dioxide purification plant
- Otway Basin: drilling, completion and initial production testing
- Arkaringa Basin: geophysical operations
- Ballera to Moomba: underground gas pipeline
- Cooper Basin: geophysical operations for PEL 182.
In 2013–14, the EPA participated in an unconventional gas roundtable where the theme was ‘industry practice’. The event included stakeholders in the oil and gas industry and aimed to explore leading practices and research capabilities in unconventional petroleum projects.