Up to 21,000 litres of diesel has spilled into the ocean from an Esso/ExxonMobil fossil fuel facility in the Bass Strait, with the offshore regulator warning of potentially significant threats to the surrounding marine environment.
It's the third spill from an Esso/ExxonMobil facility in just six months.
Despite evidently not being able to manage its operational offshore infrastructure, Esso is currently applying to use old gas fields for dumping carbon pollution.
As stated by Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson:
"Esso/ExxonMobil is proving to be a highly problematic and dangerous operator - yet Australia's embattled offshore oil and gas industry regulator, NOPSEMA, is failing to take the strong actions necessary to reign in the fossil fuel giant.
"NOPSEMA is supposed to have oversight and regulate the environmental management of the offshore fossil fuel industry, but coastal communities are fast losing confidence in the 'independent' regulator, which has become more of an enabler than an investigator of offshore oil and gas projects.
"Esso's inability to manage its operational infrastructure safely is deeply troubling given the company's currently applying to use old gas fields for dumping carbon pollution.
"Fossil fuel corporations make millions from Australia's offshore oil and gas fields yet repeatedly breach our environmental management laws and have also gotten away with not properly cleaning up after themselves.
"Australia desperately needs stronger laws and regulations to govern the offshore fossil fuel industry - how much more must our oceans and marine wildlife suffer before the Albanese government acts to change this?"
As stated by Acting Leader of the Victorian Greens, Sarah Mansfield:
"This is the third time in just six months that Esso has spilt toxic pollutants off the coast of Victoria.
"The Victorian inquiry into gas decommissioning has never been more urgent. There are currently hundreds and gas and oil wells across Victoria leaking gas and oil into our oceans and it's taxpayers who are being left to foot the bill to clean it up.
"Both the Victorian and Federal Labor governments need a plan to fix this and hold the fossil fuel corporations to account."
