Artisan Well 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 first of these two related EPs, the Artisan Well EP, which covers activities necessary for maintaining the suspended Artisan-1 well. The well will remain suspended until all internal and external approvals and permits are in place to allow for the connection of the well to the existing Casino-Henry-Netherby (CHN) pipeline.

Location

Approximately 31 km offshore Peterborough, Victoria

Offshore Eastern Maar Country.

Update log

• August 2026: Page created

Activity details include the following:

Suspended Artisan well with tree installed

Vessel based activities using work vessels, uncrewed vessels and remotely operated vehicles (ROV) within the Artisan-1 operations area:

• Surveys and inspections, maintenance and repair (IMR)
• Support operations

Distance from shore

Approximately 31 km offshore

Permit areas

Commonwealth: VIC/L35 production licence

Water depth

Approximately 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 a number of inspection only, or inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) campaigns with durations generally of approximately 2 days, or up to 30 days if maintenance or 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 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
• Fisheries damages protocol
• Ongoing consultation and notification
• Marine assurance process

Seabed disturbance

Our proposed activities offshore include:

• 'Flying' our ROV (remotely operated vehicle) close to seabed
• Inspection maintenance and repair work may disturb the seabed

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

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 work vessel is shown below.
• Remotely operated Vehicle (ROV) operations
• Sound emissions from geophysical (acoustic) tools

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:

• Vessel operations
• 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 work vessels to maintain stability.
• Biofouling by work vessels and submerged equipment through IMS presence on submerged surfaces

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:

• Vessel operations

Impact

• Vessel operations
• Loss of well integrity

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
• Have an accepted Well Operations Management Plan for Artisan well.

Loss of Materials or Waste Overboard

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

• 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).