Statement: Oil giants ExxonMobil and Woodside seek to abandon eight oil rigs in the Bass Strait

Last night, ABC's 7.30 report shed light on a concerning plan by oil giants ExxonMobil and Woodside to abandon the lower sections of eight oil rigs in the Bass Strait, between Lutruwita / Tasmania and Victoria.

This proposal is currently being assessed by Australia’s oil and gas regulator, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environment Management Authority (NOPSEMA), with a decision anticipated in coming weeks.

This decision on ExxonMobil and Woodside’s plans to abandon 15,000 tonnes of steel in the ocean is a test of NOPSEMA’s role as an independent regulator. Leaving oil rigs in the ocean is inconsistent with obligations on companies to remove their structures from the ocean. Approving ExxonMobil and Woodside’s plans risks NOPSEMA being seen as an ineffective and captured regulator.

ExxonMobil and Woodside's failure to clean up old and dilapidated Bass Strait infrastructure has already resulted in two chemical spills this year, causing toxic contamination of the ocean and posing a significant threat to wildlife. The decaying pipes and rusting infrastructure of these companies are a danger to the health of Sea Country and marine life.

Decaying pipelines, platforms, and wells have the potential to leach heavy metals and radioactive materials into the ocean, endangering kelp forests, whale nurseries, sea lion colonies, and a plethora of unique fish, birds, and marine creatures found exclusively in this region.

The Wilderness Society has been sounding the alarm on the delayed decommissioning of oil and gas structures in Australian oceans. The organisation is publicly advocating for stronger regulation and up front bonds to ensure that the community and the environment don’t carry the liability if companies cut and run from their clean up responsibilities.