Approval of resource management, activity and infrastructure plans

You must have an approved well operations management plan (WOMP) before starting any well related operations under an exploration permit, retention licence or production licence.

What to include

A WOMP must:

• be prepared in accordance with any relevant code of practice
• demonstrate how well integrity will be achieved, monitored and managed over the life cycle of the well
• include drilling, well construction, operation, re-entry, modification, decommissioning and the post-decommissioning life cycle phases
• detail how technical, operational and organisational solutions will be applied to maintain well integrity and ensure the successful extraction of petroleum
• be accompanied by a well control manual for the well or wells to be managed under the plan.

A WOMP that relates to a well that will be hydraulically fractured, must include an induced seismicity management plan.

A single WOMP may apply to multiple wells with the same risk profile.

Where an application for a WOMP relates to an existing well or wells, a well barrier integrity validation report is required for those wells.

Applications are assessed and determined within 45 days of being submitted.

2025 code of practice: well integrity

The 2025 code of practice: well integrity has been gazetted PDF (148.4 KB) under section 117AZV of the Petroleum Act 1984.

The 2025 code of practice: well integrity provides for management of well activities over the entire life cycle of a well, including drilling, construction, operation, re-entry, modification, decommissioning and the post-decommissioning period, whilst ensuring any risks to well integrity are reduced to as low as is reasonably practicable.

Get the 2025 code of practice: well integrity.

Security

A WOMP application must be accompanied by a proposal for a well decommissioning security relating to the proposed well or wells.

You must pay the security before drilling a well.

Reviews

An approved WOMP must be reviewed:

• every 5 years
• before the start of an activity which is not covered by the WOMP, or is inconsistent with the WOMP
• before a significant change is made to the way risks to well integrity are managed or
• as soon as practicable after the integrity of a well becomes subject to a significant new or increased level of risk.

Fees

The cost to submit a WOMP application or revision for assessment is determined by its complexity.

Read more about fees and levies.

High complexity

A high complexity WOMP includes any of the following:

• high pressure or high temperature wells
• hydraulic fracturing/well stimulation
• management of risks associated with hydrogen sulphide in reservoir
• managed pressure drilling
• a well outside known fields or the first well drilled in a field
• use of non-standard or new equipment or techniques not currently approved for use.

Medium complexity

A medium complexity WOMP is a plan that doesn’t meet the high complexity criteria but covers more than one well.

Low complexity

A low complexity WOMP is all other plans.

WOMPs approved or submitted for assessment prior to the 2025 code of practice: well integrity being gazetted will continue to reference the 2019 code of practice: onshore petroleum activities in the NT .

Get the codes of practices.