The community can now have their say on a proposal by Subsea 7 to construct and operate a pipeline fabrication facility near Exmouth in Western Australia.

The subsea engineering, construction and services company is proposing to construct and operate an onshore pipeline fabrication facility at Lots 233 and 1586 to the east of Minilya-Exmouth Road, Learmonth, approximately 35 kilometres south of the Exmouth Townsite.

Subsea 7’s proposal involves the production of pipeline bundles, to be used in the development of offshore gas fields, which will be constructed onshore before being launched and towed offshore.

The proposal includes the construction of a fabrication shed, storage area and two 10-kilometre tracks along which each bundle of materials will be constructed and then launched.

Location of proposed Bundle Site, image courtesy of Subsea 7.

A launch way, crossing the beach and extending 380 metres into the subtidal area at Heron Point, will facilitate the launch of each bundle.

An eight-week round of community consultation on Subsea 7’s proposal officially opened on October 2, 2019.

WA EPA Chair, Dr Tom Hatton, said community feedback would inform the environmental assessment of the proposal and the public can view the proposal’s Environmental Review Document.

“This proposal is of high public interest and the EPA welcomes all feedback from the public to help provide further information about the potential environmental impact on the local area.”

Dr Hatton added: “This is a complex proposal that will require detailed assessment to determine the extent of the proposal’s impacts and how the environmental issues could be managed, including the proposed clearing of 176 hectares of native vegetation and fauna habitat, and impacts to 1819 hectares of benthic habitats and the potential impacts to marine fauna within Exmouth Gulf.”

The EPA intends to provide the WA Minister for Environment with a report and recommendations of the proposal by mid-2020.

The closing date for submissions is 30 November 2019.

Submissions can be made electronically via the EPA’s Consultation Hub at https://consultation.epa.wa.gov.au.