Community
7 May, 2025
Minerva gas field sees new activity
A LARGE platform semi-submersible – named the Transocean Equinox – has been spotted approximately ten kilometres south off the coast of Port Campbell in the Otway Basin, sparking questions about its purpose and the details of its activities.
According to National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), Australia’s offshore energy regulator, the project involving the Transocean Equinox began on April 6 and will cease upon pending titleholder notification.
“Woodside Energy plans to undertake plug and abandonment activities for four subsea wells within the Minerva field,” according to the NOPSEMA activity description.
“The plug and abandonment activities are part of the decommissioning of the Minerva gas field.
“Plug and abandonment permanently seals the wells to prevent release of hydrocarbons to the environment.
“Plug and abandonment of the wells will be done using a moored semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU), supported by vessels.
“The MODU will enter the operational area to undertake plug and abandonment activities, and be removed from the operational area once activities are complete.”
According to the activity description, the activities (including preparation) are expected to require between 44 and 160 days to complete, subject to weather, vessel and MODU availability, or other unforeseen events.
A Woodside spokesperson said the current activities are expected to conclude by the end of June.
“Woodside is working in the Minerva gas field off the coast of Port Campbell to decommission infrastructure and equipment that is no longer in use,” the spokesperson said.
“The highly specialised vessel Transocean Equinox is undertaking the work that includes placing cement plugs in wells and removing equipment above the seabed.
“The Minerva field, located approximately 11 kilometres from the coast, produced gas to meet local energy needs for 15 years before reaching the end of its production life in 2019.
“Woodside is committed to executing our decommissioning activities with a focus on safety and the environment, coupled with efficiency.
“The Port Campbell activities are covered by comprehensive environment plans that have been approved by Commonwealth and Victorian regulators and include the management of potential environmental risks and impacts.”
The potential environmental risk factors include physical presence, seabed disturbance, light emissions, noise emissions, atmospheric emissions, MODU and vessel discharges, plug and abandonment discharges, solid waste generation and management, unplanned spills of chemicals and hydrocarbons, loss of solid hazardous and non-hazardous waste, marine fauna interaction and the introduction of invasive marine species.
A Woodside spokesperson said community members with questions or comments are welcome to contact Woodside by email at consultation@feedback.woodside.com.
Other projects will also soon be commencing in the Otway Basin, subject to MODU availability.
According to NOPSEMA, ConocoPhillips Australia are planning to undertake exploration activities 20 kilometres offshore, which involves seabed surveys at up to a maximum of nine locations and drilling up to a maximum of six exploration wells.
The start date for this project, including preparation time, was April 2 and will cease pending titleholder notification.
Beach Energy will also be commencing a project in the Otway Basin, which began May 1 and will cease pending titleholder notification.
Beach Energy, the part owner and nominated operator of the Otway Gas Development project, will be continuing operation, inspection, maintenance and repair on a Geographe field 55 kilometres south of Port Campbell and a Thylacine field located a further 15 kilometres south.
They have planned additional drilling and plug and abandonment activities within the Otway Basin with a start date pending titleholder notification.
Read More: Port Campbell