This Act amends the Offshore Petroleum Act 2006 to establish a system of offshore titles for carbon dioxide storage in Commonwealth offshore waters, including a framework for the transfer of long-term liability to the Government at the end of a 'closure assurance period' (minimum of 15 years). For a detailed overview see Offshore Storage - Australia.
Enacted under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Act 2006, the aim of these regulations is to ensure any petroleum or greenhouse gas activity carried out in the offshore are carried out in an ecologically sustainable manner and in accordance with an environmental plan. For further details click here.
Enacted under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Act 2006, the regulations authorize holders of petroleum exploration permits, retention leases and production licenses to explore the approved area for greenhouse gas storage formations and injection sites.
There are three main objects to the RMA Regs. First, to ensure that offshore operations are carried out in accordance with 'good oilfield practice' and compatible with the 'optimum long-term recovery of petroleum'. Secondly, that the administrators of the OPGGS Act are informed in a timely manner of exploration, discovery, development, production and injection activities. Thirdly, to provide a framework for the management of petroleum and GHG data.
These regulations consolidate and repeal a number of existing regulations including the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Management of Greenhouse Gas Well Operations) Regulations 2010.
Enacted under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Act 2006, the regulations authorised holders of petroleum exploration permits, retention leases and production licenses to explore the approved area for greenhouse gas storage formations and injection sites.
State level
New South Wales
Greenhouse Gas Storage Bill 2010 History: Introduced to the legislative assembly on 24 November 2010
Current status:NOT YET PASSED
This Bill gives the minister the power to declare underground geological structures as approved reservoirs for permanent storage. It establishes a regime for exploration licences and a system of leases and licenses for development and exploitation of the site. The provisions on site closure allow the minister to delay the closure and request additional works by the operator to ensure the CO2 is safely stored. Once the site is closed, liability for actions carried out before and after closure transfers to the Crown. However, the operator is required to indemnify the Crown against claims in negligence and fraud. The Bill also contains provisions dealing with access, surface rights and financial security. Further detail is to be provided in future regulations.
Queensland
Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2009 History: Received Royal Assent on 23 February 2009 and effective on 18 December 2009
Current Status:IN FORCE
Act concerning storage aspects of CCS activities, modelled on the existing oil and gas regulation. It requires two types of tenures: exploration permits as well as injection and storage leases. Where a lease is surrendered, the Act provides that the stored CO2 'becomes the property of the state'.
Enacted under the authority of the Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2009, these regulations provide more detail regarding the various plans, programmes, notices and reports that the Act requires operators submit to the regulating authority. The Act also authorises the authority to request additional information from the operator and these regulations require three additional "well reports" and two additional notices to be submitted.
This Act re-enacts Victoria's legislation for the regulation of petrochemical titles offshore and introduces a new regime for the exploration and operation of greenhouse gas storage sites offshore. The Act makes extensive provision for the interaction of the two titles including, in certain circumstances, allowing a petrochemical title holder a veto over GHG operations. Broadly, this Act follows the regulatory structure of Federal offshore legislation, but does differ in one important respect: under the Victorian legislation, after authorised closure of the site, common law liabilities remain with the operator who is not indemnified by the State as is the case under Federal legislation.