Question Without Notice No. 179 asked in the Legislative Council on 28 March 2018 by Hon Robin Chapple
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
WOODSIDE — KARRATHA GAS PLANT — ELECTRICAL FAULT
179. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the black smoke incident at the Woodside North West Shelf joint venture on Saturday, 15 April 2017.
(1) Was the large amount of lube oil released into a creek that joins between the plant and the no-access beach behind the plant reported to the Environmental Protection Authority or the department?
(2) If yes to (1), how much lube oil was released?
(3) If no to (1), why not?
(4) How much oil entered the water around the adjoining beaches?
(5) Why was the recreational public in the vicinity not advised of the contamination?
The PRESIDENT: Minister for Environment, before you answer that, did you ask a similar question yesterday, Hon Robin Chapple?
Hon Robin Chapple: I did yesterday and I was told to ask it of the Minister for Environment.
The PRESIDENT: All right. Minister for Environment.
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) Woodside reported that 3 200 litres of oil was spilled on site.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Woodside reported to the former Department of Environment Regulation that less than five millilitres of oil discharged into the ocean.
(5) Woodside advised that the area to which the oil discharged is a maritime exclusion zone that is not accessible to the public and that the oil dissipated quickly.