Otway Basin
Otway Basin activities – discovery, commercialisation, production and sale of gas to South-east Australia.
Our activities
The Otway Basin is approximately 500km long and covers a 155,000 km2 area from Cape Jaffa in South Australia to north-west Tasmania. Approximately 80% of the basin is located offshore and 20% onshore.
Our interests in the basin are in South Australia (onshore) and Victoria (onshore and offshore).
Onshore activities
Athena gas plant
Since December 2021, the Athena Gas Plant has processed gas and liquids from the offshore Casino, Henry, and Netherby fields. It gives us control of processing our Otway Basin gas and provides extra capacity for our future gas developments. It is our second gas processing hub and establishes us as a midstream gas infrastructure operator.
Read the:
In 2021 we undertook a pipeline cutover that directed gas from the Casino, Henry and Netherby fields (where we have been safely producing gas since 2004) to the Minerva Pipeline which connects to the Athena Gas Plant.
The first commissioning of gas through the plant occurred in FY22 and the cutover of processing from the Iona Gas Plant to the Athena Gas Plant followed the peak winter demand period.
Dombey gas discovery
Cooper Energy has a 30% interest in an exploration licence area in the Penola Trough onshore Otway Basin, South Australia.
The Dombey-1DW1 gas well discovery was made in the area in October 2019. The drilling was supported with a $6.9 million PACE grant from the South Australian government.
Onshore Permits
The company holds interests in five onshore licences; three in South Australia and two in Victoria (see maps below).
Offshore activities
Casino Henry Netherby gas fields
The Otway offshore gas fields and facilities are situated about 30km off the coast of Port Campbell, Victoria in water depths of about 60-70 metres. Gas production commenced in 2006 from the Casino Field (Stage 1) and subsequent stages integrating additional fields to supply continuing demand from the domestic market.
Future activities
We plan to develop additional gas reserves in accordance with our Environment Plan approved by the regulator NOPSEMA. We plan to drill new wells and connect them to existing offshore pipelines to transport gas to the Athena Gas Plant. As planning continues we will continue to update and consult with relevant stakeholders and the community, including in relation to future modifications to the plant should they be needed.
Read the:
- Woodside's Minerva Field decommissioning report
- Regulator acceptance of Woodside's Minerva Field decommissioning report
- 2023 Annual Minerva Decommissioning Report
Cooper Energy interest and activity in the Otway Basin, by location.
Victoria | |||
| VIC/L24 | production | Casino gas field (offshore) | 50% operator |
| VIC/L30 | production | Henry and Netherby gas fields (offshore) | 50% operator |
| VIC/L33 | production | part of the Black Watch and Martha gas fields (offshore) | 50% operator |
| VIC/L34 | production | offshore | 50% operator |
| VIC/P44 | exploration | offshore | 50% operator |
| VIC/P76 | exploration | offshore | 100% operator |
| VIC/L22 | production | Minerva gas field (offshore) | 10% interest |
| PEP 168 | exploration | onshore | 75% interest |
| PEP 171 | exploration | onshore | 75% interest |
| South Australia | |||
| PEL 494 | exploration | onshore | 30% interest |
| PEL 680 | exploration | onshore | 30% interest |
| PRL 32 | production | onshore | 30% interest |
Find out more – Geoscience Australia: regional geology of the Otway Basin