Gippsland Basin
Offshore Gippsland gas exploration, development, and onshore processing exclusively for Australia's domestic east coast market.
Our activities
The Gippsland Basin in South-east Australia is about 200 km east of Melbourne. It covers 46 000 km2. Two-thirds of the basin is located offshore.
Cooper Energy has eight offshore tenements in the Gippsland Basin (shown in green on the adjacent map). We hold 100% interest in these tenements and the Orbost Gas Processing Plant onshore near Orbost in East Gippsland, Victoria.
Onshore activities
Orbost gas processing plant
The Orbost-based plant processes natural gas extracted from our offshore Sole gas field. The Plant connects to the Eastern Gas Pipeline, which transports gas into the New South Wales or Victoria markets.
We acquired the plant in July 2022 to process natural gas from the offshore Gippsland Basin (our existing Sole gas field assets) for the South-east Australia domestic market.
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Offshore activities
Cooper Energy produces natural gas from two wells in the Sole gas field which are about 65km offshore from Victoria's coastline. The Sole production wells were drilled in 2018 and continue to be operated, monitored and controlled through the Orbost Gas Processing Plant. The gas from the wells is connected to the onshore Orbost Gas Processing Plant via a pipeline and associated subsea infrastructure.
Additional offshore assets include
- Basker Manta Gummy- non-producing wells and associated infrastructure in the Basker Manta Gummy field about 55km offshore from Cape Conran, Victoria, in water depths of about 54 metres. Planning and approvals have commenced for the decommissioning of these wells and infrastructure.
- Patrica Baleen- non-producing wells and associated infrastructure in the Patricia Baleen field about 25km offshore from Marlo, East Gippsland, Victoria in water depths of about 125 metres.
The wells and infrastructure are sub-sea meaning they are not visible from the surface. They are subject to monitoring, regular inspections and testing as described in the extensive environment plan approved by the regulator (NOPSEMA).
Read the:
Annual Progress Report of the Basker, Manta, Gummy Field closure
Regulator acceptance of the Annual Progress Report of the Basker, Manta, Gummy Field closure
Cooper Energy interest and activity in the Gippsland Basin, by location.
| Tenement | Activity | Location | Cooper share |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIC/RL 13 (Basker-Manta-Gummy) | retention | offshore | 100% operator |
| VIC/RL14 | retention | offshore | 100% operator |
| VIC/RL15 | retention | offshore | 100% operator |
| VIC/L32 (Sole) | production | offshore | 100% interest |
| VIC/RL16 (Patricia-Baleen) | retention | offshore | 100% interest |
| VIC/P72 | exploration | offshore | 100% interest |
| VIC/P75 | exploration | offshore | 100% interest |
| VIC/P80 | exploration | offshore | 100% interest |
More Information
In February 2021, remaining reserves in the Gippsland Basin were estimated at 1.8 Tcf (51.6 Gm3) of natural gas and ethane, and 109 MMbbls (17.3 GL) of oil and natural gas liquids (EnergyQuest, 2021).
Links to documents approved by the regulator- NOPSEMA
Project- Gippsland Offshore Development
Activity- Gippsland Offshore Operations
Offshore Operations Environment Plan Summary
EP Appendix- Description of the Environment
BMG Closure Project (Phase 1) Environment Plan
BMG Closure Project Annual Progress Report 2021
NOPSEMA Key Matters Report