Barry Beach Maintenance and Upgrade ProjectEnergy

Qube is pleased to be progressing plans to upgrade the existing Barry Beach Marine Terminal in Gippsland to support operations and maintenance activities for Victoria’s new offshore wind industry. Below you will find information about the proposed upgrade works, a description of the Barry Beach Marine Terminal and its long history in supporting Victoria’s energy needs, and guidance on where to register for regular updates on the proposed works.

The Barry Beach Marine Terminal (BBMT) is the main supply depot for Esso Australia’s Gippsland Basin oil and natural gas operations. Each year it facilitates the warehousing and transport of thousands of tonnes of food, supplies, fuel and equipment to 23 offshore platforms and installations that serve as bases for drilling, oil and gas production and processing.

In July 2017, Qube Energy was awarded an Operating Agreement for the provision of shore base terminal operational services and associated Supply Base and General Port Leases at BBMT on behalf of Esso Australia, as well as having the ability to offer the port facilities to third-party businesses.

BBMT is a valuable asset to the Gippsland region and, with the ability to now provide a broader range of port and logistics services, it has the potential to create economic and employment growth opportunities for Victoria into the future.

As the only port between Hastings (Vic) and Eden (NSW) with the capacity and functionality to provide a broad range of commercial port and logistics services through dedicated quayline, infrastructure, hardstand and landback facilities, BBMT is a valuable asset to the Gippsland region.

The advantages of BBMT include:

• Closest port to the declared Gippsland offshore wind area.
• The only port that will afford daily commuting for offshore wind operations and maintenance (O&M)
• The largest land back facility of Victorian ports (approx. 80ha in total)
• Large adjacent area of industrial zoned land availability allowing for value added industries to develop.
• Long and established history (60+ years) as an energy port terminal
• Generous buffer from residential development.

Qube proposes to develop the inherent potential of BBMT to create economic and employment growth opportunities for Gippsland and Victoria through upgrading existing infrastructure and the further development of the BBMT facility, and in doing so, support and enable the Commonwealth and Victorian Government’s objective to transition from fossil fuel energy to an energy future based on renewables.

Project Description:

Subject to relevant regulatory approvals and Qube internal approvals, Qube proposes a substantial capital investment in maintenance and upgrade works to Barry Beach Marine Terminal infrastructure including hardstand area, replacement of the existing quayside and the creation of a protected operations and maintenance marina within the freehold land, with access to Corner Inlet.

This work is necessary as the existing quay line was constructed over 56 years ago and is at the end of its functional service life and also to configure the BBMT quayside, berths and hardstand suitable to accommodate offshore wind operations and maintenance, Esso Australia’s Gippsland Basin oil and natural gas infrastructure decommissioning project as well as niche regional trade.

The maintenance and upgrade works proposed by Qube includes:

• Replacing approximately 160m of the existing 400m-long quay line which is ageing (Image 7) and unsuitable to accommodate the loads that will be delivered by the decommissioning project. The loads are anticipated to be up to 6,000 tonnes requiring a reinforced quay line, apron and hardstand areas. The replacement quay line will be constructed approximately 2m waterside of the existing quay line and the space between the existing and replacement quay lines infilled with clean material.
• The replacement quay line will comprise of circular and sheet piles approximately 36m long. The remainder of the existing quay line may be progressively replaced over time, as a separate project and subject to further approval processes.

• Constructing transport pathways for transfer of decommissioned oil & natural gas modules using self-propelled modular transporters (SPMT) to transfer these components from the quay line to the dismantling area where they will be dismantled and recoverable materials distributed for recycling.
• Constructing laydown areas and reinforcing existing laydown areas to accommodate decommissioned modules prior to dismantling.
• Remnant old growth native vegetation and dunes will be retained and will be protected. Some regrowth vegetation that has occupied the former settling ponds will be removed to extend the laydown areas. The laydown areas will be used for the decommissioning project.
• Following completion of the decommissioning project the laydown areas will be available to offshore wind projects and/or other trade projects and their activities.
• Constructing storage buildings, workshops, offices, amenities, and car parks to service the O&M requirements for up six offshore wind projects. Each project will have its own facilities and is estimated to have approximately 100 personnel on site during operations.
• Constructing a marina to accommodate crew transfer vessels (CTVs) and tugs. Sufficient berths to service up to six offshore wind projects are planned. The marina will have sheet-piled walls and be excavated and flooded before being opened to Corner Inlet.

The proposed functional areas of the BBMT Maintenance and Upgrade Project are shown below in Figure 1.

Figure 2 shows a conceptualization of the BBMT site, including new offshore wind Operations & Maintenance marina adjacent to the southern boundary of BBMT.

Qube will provide project updates as the BBMT Maintenance and Upgrade project progresses.

These will include:

• Details of Community and Stakeholder information events
• Newsletters
• Industry updates
• Employment opportunities
• Goods and services supply opportunities.

To inform the BBMT Maintenance and Upgrade Project design and to ensure, both during the construction and operational phases, we do not unacceptably impact the very stringent Commonwealth and State legislative and regulatory controls that protect the important environmental, cultural and social values of the BBBMT site and surrounding land, water and air, Qube have commissioned a range of technical studies to be undertaken.

These include:

• Cultural heritage
• Groundwater quality monitoring
• Marine water quality monitoring
• Benthic habitat and marine ecology
• Terrestrial Ecology
• Road traffic assessment
• Marine traffic assessment
• Geotechnical assessment
• Noise and vibration
• Odour
• Dispersion modelling
• Accommodation

Technical Reports

Summary Reports of the technical studies will be provided as the studies are completed or as relevant data becomes available (some studies are ongoing).

The following links provide additional information from external parties relating to oil and gas decommissioning, offshore wind, relevant State and Commonwealth resources and policies.

• Decommissioning: Decommissioning in Bass Strait I ExxonMobil Australia
• Gippsland Offshore Wind Declared areas: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/energy/renewable/offshore-wind/areas/gippsland
• Offshore wind energy: https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/offshore
• Offshore Wind Energy Implementation Statements:
  • https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/691181/Offshore-Wind-Energy-Implementation-Statement-3.pdf
  • https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/622241/offshore-wind-implementation-statement-2.pdf
  • https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/603399/The-Victorian-Offshore-Wind-Implementation-Statement-1.pdf

For regular updates on the development of the BBMT Maintenance & Upgrade project, please subscribe by clicking on the button. Updates will be provided via email.

Nick Murray
BBMT Maintenance and Upgrade Project
Stakeholder and Community Engagement Lead (Qube)
M: 0418 104 474
E: nick.murray2@qube.com.au

Janet Robertson
BBMT Maintenance and Upgrade Project
Stakeholder and Community Engagement Officer (Qube)
M: 0439 223 254
E: janet.robertson@qube.com.au

Michael Knowles
GM Strategy and Development (Qube)
M : 0418 553 142
E : michael.knowles@qube.com.au