Review of the Australian National Plan Post DeepwaterHorizon, Montara and other Notable Maritime Incidents

Toby Stone
General Manager, MERCOM, Marine Environment Division

Australian Maritime Safety Authority
オーストラリア海事安全局

Presentation outline
 Overview of Australia’s National Plan
 Government Response to the Report of the MontaraCommission of Inquiry
 Review of Australia’s National Plan The Det Norske Veritas 2011 Assessment of Risk ofPollution from Marine Oil Spills
 Review outcomes/Work in progress The Future

Operating Environment
Australia is the largest island nation in theworld



3rd largest EEZ – 8.232 million km2,

60,000 km of coastline with 12,000 islands

79 ports receive 23,700 international visits

10% of earths surface equates to SARRegion

10% of world sea trade

Covers 5 of world’s ocean climate zones



6 maritime boundaries

Australia’s National PlanNational Plan for Marine EnvironmentalEmergencies► National integrated Government and industry organisationalframework enabling effective response to maritime casualties andmarine pollution incidents. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority(AMSA) manages the National Plan, working with State/NorthernTerritory (NT) governments, the shipping, oil, salvage, explorationand chemical industries, emergency services to maximise Australia's
marine pollution response capability.
► Quarterly shipping levy applies to ships carrying oil as cargo or ships
bunkers, based on tonnage of vessel

Emergency Towage Vessel (ETV) Program► Minimum level of towage
capability around coast.
► Commenced in July 2006.

► Capability is provided bycontractors.
► Three tiers:- Level 1: dedicated ETV innorthern GBR/Torres
Strait/Coral Sea- Level 2: contracted capability
in strategic locations- Level 3: vessels ofopportunity.Strategic Regions by type of ETV Capability•••

21 August 2009
64 tons lost per day until 3 November
100 days of response operations

Montara Commission of Inquiry Report released 24 November 2010, 100 findings and105 recommendations
 Concluded that the source of the blowout was theresult of the primary well control barrier failing Compounded by only 1 of the 2 planned secondary

well control barriers being installed Inquiry also examined the environmental response 7 findings and 13 recommendations onenvironmental issues (Chapter 6)

Montara Commission of Inquiry
 “It is apparent that the overall response objective ofpreventing oil from impacting on sensitive marine
resources …was largely achieved.”
 “The Inquiry has concluded that the use of dispersants

was appropriate…”
 “The Inquiry considers that AMSA responded

exceptionally well to an incident that was beyond its firsthand experience and in a remote and difficult location.
AMSA should be commended.”Montara Commission of Inquiry – Government Response

Establishment of National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental
Management Authority (NOPSEMA) on 1 January 2012
► Explanatory note with AMSA – ‘Oil Spill Preparedness andResponse Arrangements for Offshore Petroleum Activities inCommonwealth Waters’Industry developing an Australian Well Capping and Containment Solution► Subsea First Response Toolkit to be located in Australia



Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) will develop anincident management and coordination framework for dealing with incidents
involving the offshore petroleum industry

Australian Marine Oil Spill Centre reviewing preparedness and response
arrangements.

Montara Commission of Inquiry – Government ResponseComprehensive consultation on approval of oil spill contingency
plans for offshore facilities► Has not previously involved AMSAAssessing the risks associated with offshore oil and gas explorationMore rapid implementation of scientific monitoring

Clarify responsibility for provision of scientific advice



Review of Commonwealth legislation to identify “legislative gaps”

Equitable cost sharing arrangements between the offshore petroleum
and shipping industries for both spill preparedness and response
capability

National Plan/NMERA Review
Commenced January 2011, completion 2012
► To determine if current arrangements are adequate to provide an effective
response to marine casualties and pollution of the sea-and to meet Australia’s obligations as a signatory to the OPRC
Convention and OPRC-HNS Protocol► Make recommendations to rectify any deficiencies identified


Takes into account► “changes in shipping patterns and associated risks as a result of expansion of
the petroleum, LNG and minerals sectors”-

Significant growth in resource ports expected over next 10 years► “increasing activity in the offshore petroleum and gas exploration and productionindustry in remote locations and in deep water.”National Plan/NMERA Review - Projects
Assessment of the Risk of Pollution from Marine Oil Spills inAustralian Ports and Waters► Undertaken by Det Norske Veritas (DNV)► Reflects IMO Environmental Risk Evaluation Criteria (2011)► Report issued December 2011



Review of National Plan/NMERA► Undertaken by Parsons Brinkerhoff/Thompson Clarke Shipping► Final report issued March 2012
► Takes into account-

DNV Risk Assessment outcomes-Relevant recommendations - Montara Commission of Inquiry ReportDNV Risk Assessment - stakeholders consulted

National Plan ManagementCommittee► Shipping Australia Limited► Department of Resources, Energyand Tourism► All States/NT► Ports Australia► Australian Petroleum Production
and Exploration Association► Great Barrier Reef Marine ParkAuthority► Australian Institute ofPetroleum/Australian Marine Oil
Spill CentrePlus► Department of Sustainability,Environment, Water, Population
and CommunitiesAnd data from

► Australian Shipowners Association► Geoscience Australia► Plastics and Chemicals IndustryAssociation► Bureau of Infrastructure, Transportand Local Economics► Department of Infrastructure andTransport► Australian Bureau of Agricultural
and Resource Economics► Maritime New Zealand► Bureau of Meteorology

Environmental Sensitivity
“Average environmental
impact of a tonne of oil
spilled in a specificlocation.”

Takes into account►Habitats►

Species present►

Commercial resources►

Socio-cultural impacts►

Difficulty of cleanup andrecovery after a spill

Environmental Risk Indices
Expected annual cost of oil
spilled into the marine
environment, taking intoaccount
Oil type
Oil weathering
Oil transport (spreading,drifting, beaching, etc)
Oil spill mitigation
CATEGORY
Very highERI (million A$ per year)>1

High0.1 to 1

Moderate

0.01 to 0.1

Low0.001 to 0.01

Very low<0.001

DNV Risk Assessment - Results for 2020

Increase of 79% in total national port trafficIncrease of 81% in total national traffic

Small commercial vessels assumed to remain at present levels

Offshore drilling assumed to remain at current levels

Offshore oil production to reduce by 89%Condensate production to increase by 73% (overall decline by 35%)



Shore based oil consumption to increase by 14%

National Plan/NMERA review - ApproachThe review was informed by:► Extensive stakeholder consultation (Mar– May 2011)► Consideration of written submissions (Mar – Jun 2011)► Review of related documentation provided prior to and during the consultationand draft report preparation process► Observations and existing knowledge and understanding within the review
team (consultants)

The conclusions drawn by the review team in some cases were inclose alignment with stakeholder views. In other cases, the review
teams views differ to those of some stakeholders.

Strategic Stakeholder Group formed to oversight project and provide
feedback during the review process.

Review Outcomes/Current Work Plans70 recommendations, implementation over next 18 months



New Governance structure► first meetings held late 2012Closer links to OPRC Convention/OPRC-HNS Protocol

Align pollution response to broader emergency response structure► Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS)Retain nine equipment stockpiles►

AMSA Tier 2/Tier 3 equipment stockpiles of Dampier and Townsville adjacent to the very
high maritime risk areas to be upgraded►$A25 million program of equipment replacement and refurbishment

Review Outcomes/Current Work Plans


Integration of pollution and maritime casualty into a single National Plan

New agreement with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation for scientific advisory services



Upgrade Research and Development Strategy

New Level 2 Emergency Towage Vessel Contract

New Level 1 Emergency Towing Vessel Contract

Continuation of stockpile replenishment and refurbishment

New Storage and Maintenance contracts



Further engagement with maritime boundary StatesCompletion of all accepted National Plan Review recommendations

Governance of The National Plan

Future Challenges► Effectively responding to increasing government andcommunity awareness and expectations.
► To provide appropriate resources and support systems foreffective response to oil and chemical pollution incidents.
► To review and update our National Plan to reflect changing
risk profiles, and improving response arrangements andtechnologies.
► Ensuring the ongoing effectiveness of the National Plan in achanging environment.

Thank You /ありがとう