Question On Notice No. 2114 asked in the Legislative Council on 7 May 2019 by Hon Robin Chapple
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
(a) were the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions reduced from the North
West Shelf Venture plant by 25 percent;
(b) if yes to (a), what
were the NOx emissions prior to the work being undertaken and what were the NOx
emissions after the work was carried out;
(c) what are the current
NOx emissions;
(d) if no answer is provided for (c), why not;
(e) were the benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) emissions reduced from the North
West Shelf Venture plant by up to 75 percent;
(f) if yes to (e), what
were the BTX emissions prior to the work being undertaken and what were the BTX
emissions after the work was carried out;
(g) what are the current BTX emissions;
(h) if no answer is provided for (g), why not;
(i) were the results of the 12 month monitoring
program, which concluded in late 2004 reported to regulatory authorities as
stated;
(j) if yes to (i), to which regulatory authorities
were the results of the monitoring program(s) provided;
(k) if yes to (i), will the Minister table the
results of the 12 month monitoring program; and
(l) if no to (k), why not?
Answered on 11 June 2019
(a) – (b) The provision of the report referred to in the ASX announcement of January 2004 was not a requirement of any environmental approval granted under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation has been unable to locate a 2004 twelve-month monitoring program report referred to in the ASX announcement of January 2004.
(c) The annual environmental report provided as a requirement of Ministerial Statement 757 and Licence 8752/2013/2 for the 2018 calendar year details a NOx emission intensity of 0.32 tonnes of NOx per kilotonne of gas produced.
(d) Not applicable.
(e) – (f) Refer to response (a)-(b).
(g) – (h) Under Ministerial Statement 757, Woodside is required to prepare an air quality management plan and report annually on emissions levels. BTX was initially monitored and in 2014 an independent review submitted to the then Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (OEPA) found that BTX emissions were below standards set to protect human health. At that time, the OEPA confirmed that no additional monitoring of BTX was required.
(i) – (l) Refer to response (a)-(b).