Esso Australia Pty Ltd has commenced a technical tender process for decommissioning of a number of its facilities in Victoria’s Bass Strait.

Technical tender is an important step in preparing for the eventual decommissioning of a number of Bass Strait facilities that are to cease production in the near future. It will suggest approaches to undertaking platform removal activities in Bass Strait.

The company is requesting technical submissions from a number of experienced offshore heavy lift contractors for this initial tender phase, who will each outline how they propose to undertake the platform removal activities required.

“Given the complexity of decommissioning offshore facilities, we expect each vendor will propose a unique approach to platform removal in Bass Strait, based on their capabilities and experience,” said ExxonMobil Australia Chair, Dylan Pugh.

“We will then consider all the options presented, ensuring they meet our own, community and regulator expectations, before moving onto the final commercial tender process next year.”

Over the last few years, Esso Australia has completed around $600 million of early decommissioning works in Bass Strait, including removing the Seahorse and Tarwhine facilities, completing plug and abandonment activities on its Blackback and Whiting wells, and significantly progressing well decommissioning activities on Kingfish B and Mackerel.

“As the operator of some of Australia’s most mature oil and gas fields, Esso Australia is committed to safely and responsibly decommissioning our Bass Strait offshore facilities,” said Pugh.

“As we continue to progress these important early decommissioning works, this technical tender is an important step in preparing for the eventual decommissioning of a number of our facilities that are to cease production in the near future.”