The Victorian government has initiated a parliamentary inquiry into the decommissioning of offshore gas infrastructure, focusing on hundreds of plugged and abandoned oil and gas wells off the state’s coast.
This move comes in response to growing concerns about potential methane leaks and environmental risks associated with aging fossil fuel infrastructure.
The inquiry, established by the Victorian Greens, will investigate approximately 400 old oil and gas wells scattered across the Victorian coast, as well as over 23,000 kilometres of onshore gas pipelines.
Recent research suggests that one in four oil and gas wells may fail, raising alarm about the potential for significant methane leaks into the atmosphere and oceans.
Environmental organisation Friends of the Earth (FoE) has welcomed the inquiry but calls for a broader scope.
FoE’s Offshore Fossil Gas Campaigner, Jeff Waters, emphasised the need to examine ExxonMobil’s decommissioning plans for retired oil and gas platforms in Bass Strait.
The company has reportedly applied to dump steel from eight rigs into the ocean and transport toxic waste to a site within the internationally recognised Corner Inlet Ramsar Site.
The inquiry’s establishment follows recent incidents where two retired Esso and ExxonMobil gas wells leaked substantial amounts of gas into Victorian waters and the atmosphere.
These events have highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of the state’s offshore fossil fuel infrastructure.
Ellen Sandell, leader of the Victorian Greens, stressed the importance of holding fossil fuel corporations accountable for cleaning up their infrastructure.
The estimated cost to decommission gas and oil wells across Australia is approximately $60 billion, with no current plans from state or federal Labor governments to compel fossil fuel companies to pay for or manage the cleanup.
This parliamentary inquiry is expected to set a national precedent, with implications for the entire oil and gas industry across Australia.
It will likely address the critical issue of responsibility for the substantial cleanup costs and environmental protection measures required in the decommissioning process.
As the inquiry unfolds, it will undoubtedly spark discussions about the long-term environmental and economic impacts of fossil fuel infrastructure, as well as the transition towards more sustainable energy sources in Victoria and beyond.
