The decommissioning follows the liquidation of the owner of the Northern Endeavour, the Northern Oil and Gas Australia (NOGA) group of companies in 2020.
The government investigated options to manage the Northern Endeavour in response to NOGA’s liquidation.
Decommissioning the facility and remediating associated oil fields was determined to be the most cost-effective way to:
- remove future potential risks; and
- protect the environment.
The Commonwealth’s costs of decommissioning the Laminaria-Corallina oil fields and associated infrastructure will be recouped through the Laminaria and Corallina Decommissioning Cost Recovery Levy.
The Levy is an important measure to ensure that taxpayers are not left to pay for the decommissioning and remediation of the oilfields and associated infrastructure.
Decommissioning projects
Decommissioning and remediation will likely take several years and involve 3 phases:
- Phase 1: Decommissioning and disconnecting the facility from the subsea equipment.
- Phase 2: Permanent plugging and well abandonment.
- Phase 3: Removing subsea infrastructure and remediation of the Laminaria and Corallina fields.
Experienced contractors are undertaking:
- the current operations and maintenance of the facility
- Phase 1 decommissioning activities in close consultation with the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority.
Petrofac Facilities Management Limited will deliver Phase 1 as the lead contractor.
Reviews and consultations
The facility
The Northern Endeavour is a 274m long Floating Production Storage and Offtake facility. It is permanently moored between the Laminaria and Corallina oil fields. Its location is approximately 550 km northwest of Darwin in the Timor Sea.
