Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) thanks the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) for the opportunity to comment on the consultation paper “Enhancing Australia’s decommissioning framework for offshore oil and gas activities” (December 2020) (Revised Framework).
EDO has made a number of submissions on this and related matters, including to DISER’s initial consultation on the offshore oil and gas decommissioning framework (Initial Submission), on the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) draft Section 572 Maintenance and removal of property policy (draft Section 572 policy) and to NOPSEMA as part of their process of clarifying and operationalising regulatory requirements. Previous EDO submissions relating to NOPSEMA responsibilities (including the initial decommissioning consultation by DISER) are available at: https://www.edo.org.au/publication/submissions-involving-nopsema/.
EDO supports the focus in the Revised Framework to reform and strengthen the regulatory framework or managing the decommissioning of offshore petroleum infrastructure. Within that context we make the following brief comments on the Revised Framework.
