A proposed pipeline fabrication facility to be built near Exmouth could be back on the drawing board just months after proponent Subsea 7 submitted an alteration to its environmental proposal.
A proposed pipeline fabrication facility to be built near Exmouth could be back on the drawing board just months after proponent Subsea 7 submitted an alteration to its environmental proposal.
London-based Subsea 7 has been planning to construct a pipeline fabrication facility at Learmonth, about 35 kilometres south of the Exmouth, with the pipelines to be transported through the Exmouth Gulf.
That has drawn fire from environmental groups, led by Protect Ningaloo, who have have worried the pipelines will move through a whale nursery and dugong foraging grounds.
According to Environmental Protection Authority documents, there would be a maximum of three pipeline “launches” a year.
“The proposal consists of an onshore pipeline bundle fabrication site and associated infrastructure, two bundle tracks (approximately 10 kilometres in length) along which the bundles will be constructed and launched from a bundle launch way which crosses the beach and extends into the subtidal zone at Heron Point in the Exmouth Gulf,” the original proposal said.
That document was submitted in 2017.
Subsea’s desired amendments included groundwater bores, longer access roads, and a reduced development envelope.
“The original proposal defined a (pipeline) tow route,” the planned amendment said.
“Following the capture of additional metocean (wave and current) data within Exmouth Gulf, and the detailed engineering of (pipeline) bundle launch scenarios, the tow route has been slightly modified.”
But increased seabed disturbance was the biggest point of contention.
The proposed change was submitted through a mechanism that allows minor amendments to be made without an extended process.
Protect Ningaloo campaigner Jeremy Tager told Business News that Subsea 7 had written yesterday to Protect Ningaloo announcing it will withdraw the amendment and recommence the approvals process from the beginning.
“We can confirm that Subsea 7 has requested the EPA to terminate the current referral and we intend to resubmit the referral to the EPA within the next few days,” the letter said.
“We have done this because we felt there was some confusion amongst stakeholders about additional information provided to the EPA in November 2018… and the overall process for environmental approval of the project.
“The updated referral will be issued for public consultation in order to determine the level of assessment, as per standard EPA practices.”
Mr Tager said the proposed changes were more significant than Subsea 7 had claimed.
“Those proposed changes would have resulted in significantly greater damage to the area than admitted by Subsea 7 and it appears clear that the EPA has refused to accept the company’s claims,” Mr Tager said.
“We are pleased and gratified that the EPA has not accepted the absurd assertion made by Subsea 7 that the revised proposal would have had environmental benefits.”
After publication, a spokeswoman for Subsea 7 responded to an earlier request for comment.
“People will see the footprint has changed, however the impacts remain unchanged - negligible and temporary," she said.
“We respect the integrity of the EPA and the approvals process, and we take our regulatory obligations seriously.
"As a result, we are resubmitting our referral to ensure all stakeholders remain fully informed.”
EPA chair Tom Hatton confirmed the withdrawal.
"The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) was assessing a proposal by Subsea 7 Australia Contracting to construct and operate a pipeline bundle fabrication facility at Learmonth at the level of Public Environmental Review," Mr Hatton said.
"The proposal includes an onshore pipeline bundle facility where the bundles are constructed, operational activities which include the launch of the pipeline bundles at Heron Point in Exmouth Gulf, and towing to Commonwealth Waters.
"In February 2019, Subsea 7 submitted a request for changes to proposal under section 43A of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act).
"Under the Act the EPA may allow a proponent to make changes to its proposal during assessment, provided the change is unlikely to significantly increase any impact that the proposal may have on the environment.
"One of these proposed changes requested by Subsea 7 was to increase the seabed disturbance from 1 hectare to approximately 1834 hectares.
"The EPA advised the proponent in mid-April that its preliminary view was the change could not be accommodated as the scale of increase from 1 hectare to 1834 hectares was significant.
"Subsequently, the proponent has advised that revised engineering or redesign of its proposal would not allow the area of seabed disturbance to be reduced and has requested the EPA terminate the current assessment.
"This will allow them to submit a new referral to the EPA that will incorporate the additional seabed disturbance.
"The EPA agreed to terminate the current Learmonth Bundle Site assessment and will consider a new referral."
