The Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) has released a policy and guideline for the decommissioning of petroleum and geothermal energy property in Western Australian onshore area and State coastal waters.
Developed following public consultation, the policy and guideline provide a framework to assist registered holders clearly understand their decommissioning and rehabilitation obligations relating to their operations, and any facilities, infrastructure, equipment, wells, and pipelines.
A Response to Submissions document is available, outlining the stakeholder feedback received from an eight-week consultation period.
DEMIRS Resource and Environmental Compliance division Executive Director Tyler Sujdovic said that timely and responsible decommissioning is a key priority for DEMIRS.
"We are committed to best practice regulation, and this starts with having transparent and consistent regulatory frameworks in place to facilitate responsible resources development.
"Our policy clearly states that early and appropriate planning is critical to the success of decommissioning and rehabilitation, and this is what we expect to see in the plans submitted for each proposed activity.
"I would like to thank everyone who submitted feedback; the department will continue to work with petroleum and geothermal stakeholders to ensure the best possible environmental outcomes for the State."
