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Federal Government

The Federal Government controls offshore oil and gas production outside of nearshore State waters and determines emission and climate policy.

Carbon Emissions

Gaps hold back EPA’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions from WA industry

WA's EPA is now restraining growth in carbon emissions from industry but it and State and Federal Governments need to do more to keep the State attractive to increasingly climate-concerned investors.

Safety

Review calls for tougher line on offshore safety

A Federal Government review of safety in offshore oil and gas recommends more focus on design changes, diving and mental health and greater input from workers.

Decommissioning

Government hurries to tow Northern Endeavor away by mid-2023

The Federal Government is seeking a contractor to move the troubled Northern Endeavour oil vessel but first it has to be made safe for towing.

Decommissioning

Oil and gas producers to start paying up to $1B to decommission the Northern Endeavour

Australia's oil and gas industry has lost the fight not to bear the full cost of cleaning up after an oil vessel in the Timor Sea with a bankrupt owner.

Renewable Energy

Feds shoot a rare green arrow at $US36B Pilbara ammonia hub

The Pilbara's giant Asian Renewable Energy Hub has been shocked by the Federal Government rejecting it on environmental grounds after awarding it major project status.

Hydrogen

Ammonia export a hope amidst Australia’s hydrogen hype: BNEF

Australia cannot compete exporting difficult to transport hydrogen but could use it locally to make low emissions products like ammonia for overseas markets.

Energy Transition

The budget is a flight of fancy ignoring Australia’s low-emissions future

In this week's budget the Morrison Government ignored clean energy and instead took a long-odds bet that carbon capture and storage will allow fossil fuels to carry on untouched by climate concerns.

Decommissioning

Offshore oil & gas producers to pay for $1B Northern Endeavour cleanup

For every dollar Woodside saved in 2015 selling the Northern Endeavour, the oil and gas industry may have to pay back threefold after the Federal Government moved to protect ordinary taxpayers from the cost of decommissioning the vessel and oil field.

Hydrogen

ARENA backs ATCO and Engie with $71M for WA green hydrogen

WA will be home to two of the largest green hydrogen electrolysers in the world to feed an ammonia plant and inject the clean fuel into the South West gas grid.

Decommissioning

Pitt to oil and gas: you can sell assets but not escape liabilities

Investors in Australia's offshore oil and gas industry will find it harder to avoid paying to clean up the assets they profited from under draft legislation released today.

Safety

Behind closed doors: what worries Australia’s offshore safety regulator NOPSEMA

While Australia's offshore oil and gas industry grew safety regulator NOPSEMA was troubled by cost-cutting operators, old wells to clean up and dealing with COVID-19.

Woodside Petroleum

Woodside’s Coleman: Myanmar coup a “difficult decision” for aggrieved generals

Woodside boss Peter Coleman said the military of Myanmar where Woodside operates "weren't being heard" and staging a coup was a "difficult decision" for the generals.

net-zero 2050

Australia will face carbon levies unless it changes course

President Biden's carbon tariff plan is aimed at China but Australian exporters will be collateral damage unless the Federal Government adopts real measures to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Decommissioning

ENI’s Australian clear out prompts clean up order

ENI's plan to sell out of Australia and leave offshore decommissioning liabilities to others has struck trouble from regulator NOPSEMA and new Government policy proposals.

Decommissioning

Northern Endeavour debacle hits $209M with much more to come

The Government will spend $130 million to look after the Northern Endeavour in 2021 and has the oil and gas industry in its sights for the total bill of more than half a billion dollars.

Decommissioning

Government fights in court for Northern Endeavour oil vessel

The Northern Endeavour saga gets murkier: court battles, Cabinet confidentiality, unspecified environmental problems and maybe a hefty bill for big oil and gas.

Decommissioning

Oil & gas to get Northern Endeavour bill and trailing liabilities: Pitt

Resources Minister Keith Pitt plans to stop big oil companies passing on decommissioning liabilities and make them contribute to the Northern Endeavour decommissioning bill.

Carbon Emissions

Zali Steggall's climate change bill comes as business steps up

Independent MP Zali Steggall's climate change bill aims to take the short term politics out of climate change at the national level and replace it with science, economics and certainty.

Carbon Emissions

US under Biden will rejoin the Paris climate agreement and Australia will feel the heat

When a Biden-led USA rejoins the Paris Agreement and takes strong climate action Scott Morrison will have few international allies for his stubborn idleness.

BP

Nine takeaways from BP's shock closure of its Kwinana refinery

The effect of BP closing its Kwinana oil refinery after 65 years will be felt far and wide in the WA economy - especially among workers and other industries, but BP will do just fine.

Decommissioning

Northern Endeavour a “major screw up” by Government: Patrick

The Government has 'screwed up' with the Northern Endeavour oil vessel says Sen. Rex Patrick and the loophole that might cost $370 million remains five years after it was spotted.

Decommissioning

Govt spends $10M to look after Northern Endeavour for an extra month

The burden on taxpayers from the failed Northern Endeavour vessel continues to grow - $10M in one month - while the Government decides what to do next.

Federal Government

'Backwards' federal budget: Morrison govt never fails to disappoint on climate

A budget for a gas-led recovery is delaying inevitable and necessary change. Eventually, Australia will be forced to catch up to the EU, China and a post-Trump USA.

Decommissioning

Federal Govt regulates poorly and gets $360M Northern Endeavor clean-up bill

The Northern Endeavor mess started with Woodside paying to rid itself of a rusty ageing asset, ended with a $362 million liability for the Government and in between was a regulatory shambles.

Federal Government

Taylor’s roadmap flawed: renewables doable almost everywhere

Angus Taylor's 'anything but wind and solar' path to low emissions focusses on long term solutions to problems that can be tackled now with existing technology.