PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Oil and gas major Santos said on Wednesday that the gas leak from the Legendre fields, offshore Western Australia, were non-toxic and unlikely to represent an environmental hazard.
Media reports on Tuesday suggested that an unknown number of disused wells have been leaking gas over the last ten years, and that Santos submitted a plan to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environment Management Authority (Nopsema) in early 2022 rejecting action to stem the leaks as "not technically feasible".
The company told Mining Weekly Online on Wednesday that it had engaged the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation to undertake an in-depth monitoring programme at the gas field, and was currently implementing a management plan that included a regular monitoring programme.
Nopsema has requested Santos undertake activity to show the cause of the reported seepage and required that Santos submit an environment plan to demonstrate the appropriate management of any works undertaken.
The Legendre project ceased production in 2011 and wells were decommissioned by then-operator, Apache. Santos took over management of Legendre in 2018 following the Quadrant acquisition and continued with this programme and subsequent surveys, with the last one being in 2022.