Decommissioning the Northern Endeavour

The Australian Government is decommissioning the Northern Endeavour facility and remediating the Laminaria-Corallina oil fields.

The Northern Endeavour is a 274m long floating production, storage and offtake (FPSO) facility. It's permanently moored between the Laminaria and Corallina oil fields, about 550 km northwest of Darwin in the Timor Sea.

There are 9 oil wells on the sea floor associated with these oil fields.

An illustration of the Northern Endeavour and oilfields

This diagram shows the Northern Endeavour moored between the Corallina and Laminaria oil fields.

Why we’re decommissioning the Northern Endeavour

Following the liquidation of the former private owner, the Commonwealth now owns the Northern Endeavour FPSO. As a result, the Australian Government plans to decommission, disconnect and dispose of the FPSO and remediate the Laminaria-Corallina oilfields.

Decommissioning is a normal and planned activity carried out in the offshore petroleum industry. It involves the safe removal and recycling of oil and gas production infrastructure. It also includes rehabilitating and removing risks to the surrounding marine environment. 

Laminaria and Corallina Decommissioning Cost Recovery Levy

The Laminaria and Corallina Decommissioning Cost Recovery Levy recovers costs associated with decommissioning the facility from the oil and gas industry. The levy ensures taxpayers don’t pay for decommissioning and remediation.

How we’re decommissioning the Northern Endeavour

We aim to complete the decommissioning work efficiently and safely, ensuring value for money and protecting the surrounding environment.

We’re managing the program across 3 phases and our role includes:

Phase 1: Decommission, disconnect from subsea infrastructure, tow and recycling of the FPSO

During this phase we’re:

  • temporarily suspending the oil wells 
  • disconnecting the facility from the flowlines and moorings that anchor it to the seabed to allow towing
  • towing the FPSO to a suitable facility for recycling.

Our department has conditional environmental approval under the EPBC Act for this phase. This authorises us to conduct:

  • routine and maintenance operations of the FPSO and associated resource fields
  • phase 1 decommissioning activities.

There are 34 conditions we must meet while completing these activities. These conditions set high standards for protecting the environment.

Petrofac Facilities Management Limited (Petrofac) is the registered operator and lead contractor delivering phase 1 decommissioning activities for our department. It must comply with the conditions. The first annual compliance report outlines what we have been doing to meet these conditions.

Phase 2: Permanently plug and abandon wells

After disconnecting and removing the FPSO, we’ll:

  • permanently plug and abandon the oil wells to protect the environment
  • remove the well infrastructure. 

Phase 3: Remove subsea infrastructure and remediate the Laminaria and Corallina fields

During this phase we’ll remove the remaining subsea equipment and infrastructure and transport it to shore for safe reuse and recycling. This includes removing flowlines, chains and mooring infrastructure.

Decommissioning progress 

Phase 1 decommissioning is underway. Planning and procurement for the towing and recycling of the FPSO, and phases 2 and 3 is happening concurrently. 

Latest news

Oct 2024

Northern Endeavour decommissioning recycling: request for tender

We have released a request for tender (RFT) to find a supplier to recycle the Northern Endeavour floating production storage and offtake (FPSO) vessel. Submissions close 13 December 2024.
Jul 2024

Unique challenges and opportunities in decommissioning the Northern Endeavour

Read how we’re addressing the challenges and harnessing opportunities out of the process.
Jul 2024

An update on decommissioning the Northern Endeavour

Read how we're managing operations, planning to disconnect the facility and complying with regulations.

Some important milestones

  • 2020

    • The Commonwealth took responsibility for the Northern Endeavour facility. 
    • We engaged Upstream Production Solutions to operate and maintain the FPSO.
  • 2021

  • 2022

    • We contracted Petrofac to complete the phase 1 decommissioning works.
    • Petrofac became the registered operator of the FPSO and took operational control.
    • The regulator, National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), accepted Petrofac’s Safety Case and Wells Management Plan.
  • 2023

  • 2024

  • Future

    • Award and announce the contracts to tow and recycle the FPSO.
    • Disconnect the FPSO from the flowlines and moorings that anchor it to the seabed to allow towing.
    • Tow the FPSO to a facility for recycling.
    • Award and announce the contract for a Phase 2 and 3 lead contractor.
    • Get environmental and regulatory approval to remove the subsea infrastructure.
    • Remove subsea infrastructure and transport it to shore for reuse or recycling. This includes flowlines, chains and mooring infrastructure.
    • Plug and abandon 9 oil wells and remove well infrastructure in the Corallina and Laminaria oil fields to protect the environment. 
    • Remove subsea infrastructure from the oil fields.
    • Remediate the oil fields.

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