Energy pipelines

Under the Energy Pipeline Regulations, as the pipeline licence holder, you must report all of the following incidents:

• the death or serious injury to a person
• significant damage to a pipeline
• any incident which is likely to cause the above or you consider needs immediate investigation.

You must notify the department or an inspector as soon as possible after an incident, either verbally or in writing, giving as much detail as possible.

This must be followed by a full written report as soon as practicable after the incident. You must also liaise with environmental protection and work health and safety authorities to determine their requirements for reporting incidents.

Contact the department.

Use the forms listed below when applying to build or manage energy pipelines on land or in coastal waters in the Northern Territory.

The flowcharts list processes each application must go through.

Applications

Process flowcharts

Each of these flow charts visually describes a process for an aspect of pipeline construction or management.

You must have an approved pipeline management plan in place prior to:

• applying for a consent to construct or operate a pipeline
• modifying a pipeline
• decommissioning a pipeline.

A pipeline management plan may provide for one or more pipelines.

Stages covered by pipeline management plans

A pipeline management plan may be submitted for one or more of the following stages for the pipeline:

• design and construction
• operation
• modification
• decommissioning.

A pipeline management plan may cover one or more of these stages.

For more information on this process, call the Energy Division on 08 8999 5460.

Content of a pipeline management plan

Before developing your pipeline management plan, you must reach an agreement with the relevant minister on the content of the plan.

You must also agree the scope of validation.

Your plan must include all of the following information for the stage of your pipeline:

• description of your strategic health and safety objectives
• description of the pipeline including:
  • design
  • route corridor
  • composition of materials to be conveyed
• description of your pipeline management system
• description of the standards applying to the pipeline
• arrangements for recording, storage and access to pipeline related documents
• arrangements for reporting on pipeline activities
• arrangements for managing the integrity of assets
• an environmental management plan.

For more information about developing your plan, read sections 26 to 32 of the Energy Pipelines Regulations 2001.

Acceptance of the pipeline management plan

You must submit your plans for construction or operation to the relevant minister for acceptance once validated by an independent pipeline expert as:

• being fit for purpose
• meeting required standards - the validator's report must also be submitted with your plans.

Other plans still in development (for example, for commissioning activities) may be submitted to the relevant minister for acceptance upon completion of development.

For more information on this process, call the Energy Division on 08 8999 5460.

How to submit the pipeline management plan

You can submit your pipeline management plan by post, fax, email or in person:

Energy Division
Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
Level 4 Paspalis Centrepoint building
48-50 Smith Street (corner of Knuckey Street and Smith Street Mall)
Darwin NT 0800
petroleum.operations@nt.gov.au

GPO Box 4550
Darwin NT 0801

Fax: 08 8999 5191