Regional oil wildlife response capability in northwest Australia—a collaborative approach by oil and gas operators and agencies
Gregory Harrison A , Nick Quinn B and Andrew Best CA Vermilion Oil & Gas Australia Pty Ltd.
B AMOSC.
C Apache Energy Limited.
The APPEA Journal 55(2) 455-455 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ14090
Published: 2015
Abstract
In January 2012, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Authority (NOPSEMA) took over the environmental assessment of environmental plans (EP) and oil spill contingency plans (OSCP) in Australia’s Commonwealth waters. The requirement to demonstrate capability highlighted several areas of improvement to provide an effective oiled wildlife response (OWLR). An OWL working group was established by several operators with the initial agreement to engage the Australian Marine Oil Spill Centre (AMOSC) as the response agency. The working group of operators has now established an OWLR Plan that was developed in collaboration with AMOSC and the Department of Parks and Wildlife and has provided an industry and government agency coordinated approach to OWLR for the first time.
Gregory Harrison has a bachelor of engineering (civil) and a master of science in engineering (prelim). He has more than 30 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry in engineering, construction and operations in Australia, USA, UK, and the Middle East. Gregory joined Vermilion in 2012 in his present role as general manager of projects. |
Nick Quinn has more than 20 years’ naval and maritime experience with an emergency response focus. He also has more than 10 years’ experience in oil spill preparedness and response working with the International Maritime Organisation and responding to significant international spills. Nick joined AMOSC in 2010 as the manager of operations and has been general manager since 2012. |
Andrew Best is an industrial technician with a bachelor of science (energy and pollution). He has more than 30 years’ experience in heavy industry, including 17 years in the Australian oil and gas industry working in the environmental and emergency response divisions, joining Apache in 2012 as the emergency and oil spill coordinator. |
