It has national implications, but needs to broaden its scope
Friends of the Earth (FoE) is welcoming a new inquiry into hundreds of "plugged and abandoned" retired oil and gas wells off the Victorian coast, many of which are likely to be leaking dangerous methane gas.
But the scope of the inquiry needs to be broadened.
Methane (most often euphemistically called "natural gas") is almost 90 times worse than carbon dioxide for global warming.
A recent independent academic study published by our allies, the Maritime Union of Australia, concluded that it's likely about 100 old wells off Victoria are leaking.
The inquiry has come after FoE uncovered shocking plans to decommission a dozen retired and rusting old oil and gas platforms in Bass Strait.
ExxonMobil has applied to dump much of the steel from eight of the rigs into the ocean, and to bring a dozen toxic multi-storey "topsides," and hundreds of tonnes of other toxic waste, to a site in the middle of the internationally recognised Corner Inlet Ramsar Site.
FoE's Offshore Fossil Gas Campaigner, Jeff Waters, congratulated Greens Victoria leader Ellen Sandell for prompting the inquiry, but called on her to make sure the hearings wouldn't be confined to leaking wells.
"ExxonMobil is trying to save hundreds of millions of dollars by threatening Bass Strait and Corner Inlet, when there is an alternative brown field site in Geelong that they can use," Jeff Waters said.
"Although leaking wells are an urgent problem, so too is the preservation of the ocean and wetland environment, and according to the World Steel Association, 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide is produced by not recycling one tonne of steel," he said.
"The inquiry should look into all of the company's decommissioning plans, and ExxonMobil's relationship with the government."
Jeff Waters said the inquiry will set a precedent that will have national implications for the entire oil and gas industry and the (at least) $60 billion clean up required nationwide.
Key Facts:
- National precedent to be set in VIC
- Implications for nationwide oil and gas industry
- But inquiry needs to broaden its scope
