Artisan Well Connection and Installation Environment Plan

To help meet east coast domestic energy demand, subsea gas reserves need to be developed to replace existing wells as they run out. Imported alternatives cost more and result in higher emissions. Amplitude Energy recently announced the conditional purchase of a 50% operating interest in the Artisan field. This will allow for more efficient development of the field with a smaller environmental footprint by leveraging Amplitude Energy's existing infrastructure.

Announcement: Purchase of Artisan gas field from Beach Energy

To enable this, Amplitude Energy will prepare plans to incorporate the Artisan gas field development into our East Coast Supply Project (ECSP). We will develop 2 environment plans (EPs) to cover:

1. the suspended Artisan-1 well - the well was originally drilled in 2021, “completed” (prepared for production) in 2026 and long term suspended – "long term suspended well” in this instance means all well construction has been completed and the well has been left in a safe state for future production.
2. the offshore connection of the Artisan-1 well to our existing CHN pipeline.

This webpage considers the second of these two related EPs, the Artisan Well Connection and Installation EP, which covers activities necessary for installing, testing and maintaining the flowlines and ancillary infrastructure that will connect the Artisan-1 well to the existing CHN pipeline. 

Location

Approximately 20-30 km offshore Peterborough, Victoria

Offshore Eastern Maar Country

Update log

• August 2026: Page created

Activity details include the following:

Well connection vessel-based activities using 1-2 work vessels:

• Pre and post lay activities 
• Install flowlines and umbilicals
• Flowline and umbilical connection to Artisan well
• System testing and preservation

Inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) and Survey

• Inspections, maintenance and repair (IMR) of flowlines and umbilicals using vessels and ROVs
• Survey may include sub bottom profiler, side scan sonar, multi-beam echosounder and magnetometer, and geotechnical equipment for shallow seabed sampling.
• Vessel operations: Generally one specialised work vessel equipped with dynamic positioning systems, cranes, remotely operated vehicle and/or diving equipment.

Distance from shore

Approximately 20 to 30 km

Permit areas

Commonwealth: VIC/L35, VIC/P76, VIC/L24, VIC/PL37

Water depth

Approximately 60 m to 70 m

Supply base

To be determined.

Summary of Impacts, Risks and Activities

See below and in this information sheet regarding impacts, risks and control measures.

Timeline

The EP covers a 4-year period from 2027 to 2030. This window includes for the installation activity of approximately 35 to 40 days, as well as a number of inspection only, or inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) campaigns with durations generally of 2 days, and up to 4 weeks if repairs are required.

Identified impacts and risks

Interaction with other marine users

• Other marine users will be requested to maintain a safe distance of 500m from operating work vessels
• The Artisan-1 well has a 500m Petroleum Safety Zone (PSZ) - A719967.pdf

Impacts

• Changes to the functions, interests and activities of other marine users

Controls

• Temporary Exclusion Zones will be communicated via Notices to Mariners
• Artisan-1 PSZ
• Fisheries damages protocol
• Ongoing consultation and notification
• Marine assurance process

Seabed disturbance

Our proposed activities offshore include:

• Installation of flowline, umbilicals and associated structures on the seabed
• Pre and post-lay works such as stabilisation materials and seabed surveys
• Subsea infrastructure testing and preservation (discharges)
• 'Flying' our ROV (remotely operated vehicle) close to seabed
• IMR work such as pipeline stabilisation or subsea infrastructure replacement

Impact

• Change in benthic habitat

Risks

• Marine fauna injury or mortality
• Cultural heritage changes

Controls

To mitigate or reduce these impacts and risks we will implement the following controls:

• Planned maintenance system
• Offshore work procedures
• Marine assurance process
• Underwater cultural heritage disturbance risk management process
• Use available seabed survey data to identify and avoid sensitive benthic features and potential underwater cultural heritage

Underwater sound

Underwater sound will be generated from the following activities:

• Work vessel operation: Continuous sound through propeller and thrusters when moving and holding position. Indicative support vessel is shown below.
• Remotely operated Vehicle (ROV) operations
• Sound emissions from geophysical (acoustic) tools
• Seabed sampling

Impact

• Change in ambient sound

Risks

• Behavioural change in marine fauna (marine mammals, marine turtles, fish)
• Auditory (hearing) impairment (marine fauna)

Controls

• Victoria Whale Disturbance Risk Management Procedure to ensure our activities are not inconsistent with relevant EPBC species recovery plans
• Marine Assurance Process
• Offshore Operational Procedures

Greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are generated by the following activities:

• Work vessel operations:  Work vessels generate direct emissions by their use of diesel or gas to generate power for operation. 

Impacts

• Increase in greenhouse gas emissions
• Change in climate systems
• Change in ecosystems
• Change in Socio-economic factors

Controls

• Marine assurance process

Light emissions

Our proposed activities offshore that may result in light emissions include:

• Vessel operations

Impact

• Change in ambient light

Risks

• Change in fauna behaviour

Controls

To mitigate or reduce the impacts and risks of our activities we will:

• Conduct a pre-campaign risk review for light
• Implement Marine Assurance Process (e.g. comply with Marine Order 30)
• Implement Light Management Measures (e.g. Vessel non-essential light positioning)

Other atmospheric emissions

Our proposed activities offshore that may result in Atmospheric Emissions include:

• Vessel operations

Impact

• Change in air quality

Controls

To mitigate or reduce the impacts and risks of our activities we will:

• Implement a Marine Assurance Process for vessels

Planned discharges

Our proposed activities offshore that may result in planned discharges include:

• Work vessel operations
• Installation of subsea structures
• Subsea infrastructure testing and preservation (discharges)
• Inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR)

Impact

• Change in water quality and change in sediment quality.

Risks

• Injury / mortality to marine fauna.

Controls

To mitigate or reduce the impacts and risks of our activities we will:

• Implement a Marine Assurance Process
• Implement an Offshore Chemical Assessment Procedure
• Ensure the vessels meet emissions and discharge standards
• Undertake a campaign risk review

Invasive marine species

Activities

• Ballast water adjustments by support vessels to maintain stability.
• Use of work vessels and subsea equipment (e.g. ROV) which have the potential to attract and transfer IMS.

Risks

• IMS transferred into field, establishes and spreads.
• IMS is transferred between vessels, establishes and spreads to other areas.
• IMS is transferred out of the field and establishes outside the region and spreads.

Controls

• IMS Risk Management Protocol
• Australian Biofouling Management Requirements

Unplanned interactions with marine fauna

Our proposed activities offshore that may result in unplanned interactions with marine fauna include:

• Vessel operations

Risks

• Injury / mortality to marine fauna.

Controls

To mitigate or reduce the impacts and risks of our activities we will:

• Implement Offshore Operational Procedures (e.g. distances and management practices for interacting with cetaceans)
• Implement Offshore Victoria Whale Disturbance Risk Management Procedure to ensure our activities are not inconsistent with relevant EPBC species recovery plans

Accidental or uncontrolled hydrocarbon release

Our proposed activities offshore that may result in accidental hydrocarbon release include:

• Work vessel operations

Impact

• Change in water quality

Risks

• Change in habitat
• Change in fauna behaviour
• Injury / Mortality to Fauna
• Changes to the Functions, Interests, or Activities of Other Users

Controls

To mitigate or reduce the impacts and risks of our activities we will:

• Implement a Marine Assurance Process (e.g. compliance with Marine Orders)
• Implement Marine Exclusion and Caution Zones
• Undertake ongoing engagement
• Maintain an Operational and Scientific Monitoring Program
• Have an accepted Oil Pollution Emergency Plan for the activity
• Have regulatory Safety Management Plans in place

Loss of Materials or Waste Overboard

Our proposed activities offshore that may result in Loss of Materials or Waste Overboard include:

• Work vessel operations
• ROV operations

Risks

• Change in Habitat
• Injury / Mortality to Marine Fauna
• Change to Cultural Heritage

Controls

To mitigate or reduce the impacts and risks of our activities we will:

• Implement a Marine Assurance Process
• Implement Offshore Operational Procedures
• Ensure Vessels meet Emissions and Discharge standards

Have your say

We want to hear from relevant persons. Please use the contact form below to get in touch, and feel free to share this website link with any other relevant persons that you are aware of.

What next

We will submit our environment plan to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) for assessment. If you have consulted with us as a relevant person, your input will be considered in improving our EP. Your name will be included in the "sensitive information" part of our plan and not published.  

You are being consulted under section 25 of the OPGGS(E) Regulations (Cth).