Santos cops spill fine
Print
Santos has been fined for a offshore spill near Western Australia.
Karratha Magistrates Court has fined Santos WA Northwest Pty Ltd $10,000, along with $9,700 in costs, after the company pleaded guilty to breaches of the Petroleum (Submerged Lands) Act 1982.
The penalty stems from a 2022 offshore condensate spill at the Varanus Island Marine Terminal, located off the northwest coast of Western Australia.
On 20 March 2022, approximately 25,000 litres of petroleum condensate leaked from a ruptured flexible pipeline.
The pipeline, situated at seabed depths of 20–25 metres, was used to transfer condensate to shipping tankers.
The spill was discovered at dawn when condensate was spotted on the ocean surface, halting loading operations immediately.
An investigation revealed that the rupture was caused by repeated overbending and kinking of the flexible loading line, compromising its structural integrity. The loading process crew was reportedly not adequately familiar with Santos’ written procedures, which had identified the risk of kinking and outlined preventive measures.
Santos admitted its failures in monitoring operations and in investigating the pipeline's fitness for use prior to deployment.
The company was charged with failing to operate the pipeline correctly and prevent petroleum escapes.
In response to the incident, the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) required Santos to revise its environmental controls to reduce future risks.
“Operating subsea pipelines in a ‘proper and workmanlike manner’ is a fundamental principle widely understood and applied by operators in the oil and gas industry,” said DEMIRS Executive Director of Resource and Environmental Compliance Tyler Sujdovic.
Following the spill, Santos says it has enhanced its practices, including subsea monitoring to prevent future kinking incidents.
