Woodside Energy is decommissioning the Griffin field approximately 65km north-west of Onslow, in approximately 130m water depth.
The company will remove most of the equipment in the Griffin field, including all equipment that contained hydrocarbons during production.
Woodside has undertaken an environmental assessment of the feasible decommissioning options and determined that leaving the following equipment will result in equal or better environmental outcomes than full removal.
- The environmental plan (EP) provides for leaving up to 11 of the 12 Road Tech Marine anchors and associated 30m chain bridles, with the chain cut as close as practicable to the seabed and removed.
- Five piled foundations, with the exposed part of the piles removed as close as practicable to the seabed.
- Six mid-depth buoy concrete gravity bases.
The equipment proposed to be left in situ would require extensive seabed intervention to remove due to their burial status or substantial weight.
None of the equipment proposed to be left in situ was exposed to hydrocarbons during production.
The equipment consists almost entirely of steel and concrete.
Impacts associated with the ongoing presence of the equipment include localised changes in sediment quality from long-term degradation of the equipment and potential displacement or interactions with future trawl fishers.
Commercial trawl fishing is not permitted in WA-10-L under existing fisheries management arrangements.
These impacts and risks have been demonstrated as ALARP and acceptable in the EP.
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