Origin Energy Ltd., Sydney, has submitted plans for environmental approval of its proposed natural gas pipeline associated with development of nearshore Halladale and Speculant fields in the offshore Otway basin of western Victoria.
Plans are for the 200-mm, 33-km line to be co-located with a 50-mm, 33-km mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) pipeline that will transport MEG to the offshore wells.
The intention is to reuse an old in-situ pipeline for the 24-km central section between onshore Croft field well and the site of the former Heytesbury gas plant.
A 1.6-km line will link Speculant and Halladale wells to the Croft site and a 7-km pipeline will link the Heytesbury and Otway gas plant sites.
Construction is slated to begin before yearend with the pipeline brought on stream in a year’s time.
Speculant and Halladale fields are expected to produce at 20-30 petajoules/day averaged over 10-15 years with a maximum early flow of 65 petajoules/day.
The new offshore pipelines will be buried in a common trench. They will be directionally tunnelled to cross the coast under the heritage listed Great Ocean Road.
Halladale and nearby Black Watch fields lie just 5 km offshore. Origin purchased control from Woodside Petroleum Ltd. in 2008. Origin discovered Speculant field in 2014.