Well notification and reporting

Titleholders have a legal obligation under the Offshore Petroleum Greenhouse Gas Storage (RMA) Regulations 2025 (OPGGS(RMA) Regulations 2025) to report well integrity incidents to NOPSEMA within a specified period of time.

Reportable incidents

As defined in section 100 of the OPGGS(RMA) Regulations 2025, reportable incidents in relation to a well are:

a.  a loss of integrity of the well, including a well kick, resulting in a release of more than:

     (i) 1 kilogram of gas; or

    (ii) 80 litres of liquid;

b. a failure of hydrostatic pressure as a primary barrier, leading to:

     (i) a build-up of pressure or a positive flow check; and

     (ii) the operation of a blow-out prevention or diversion system;

c. damage to, or failure of, well-related equipment that has led or could lead to a loss of integrity of the well;

d. damage to, or failure of, well-related equipment that is used to monitor or verify the integrity of the well;

e. any other unplanned occurrence that requires the titleholder to implement measures or arrangements to regain control of the well.

For further guidance refer to Notification, reporting and recording requirements for well-related incidents.

Notifying NOPSEMA of a reportable incident

Section 101 of the OPGGS(RMA) Regulations 2025 states:

1. A titleholder commits an offence if:

   i. there is a reportable incident in relation to a well in the title area; and

   ii. the titleholder does not give notice of the reportable incident to the Regulator.

Oral notification

Titleholders must make a verbal notification of a reportable incident to NOPSEMA, via the dedicated NOPSEMA incident phone number 1300 674 472 as soon as practicable after the reportable incident, or after first becoming aware of a reportable incident. In this context 'as soon as practicable' includes having due regard to any immediate emergency response necessary. This verbal notification must contain:

     i. all available material facts and circumstances concerning the reportable incident, and

     ii. any action taken, or proposed to be taken, to stop, control or remedy the reportable incident.

Written report

In addition to verbal notification, the new regulations also require the titleholder to provide NOPSEMA with a written report of the reportable incident. The titleholder must submit the report no later than 3 days after the time the titleholder becomes aware of the incident, or if NOPSEMA agrees to a longer period within which the report must be provided, and should use the NOPSEMA report form Notification and reporting of well integrity incidents. The report must contain:

     i. all material facts and circumstances concerning the reportable incident that the titleholder knows or is able, by reasonable search or enquiry, to find out; and

     ii. any action taken to, or proposed to be taken, to prevent a similar incident occurring in the future; and

     iii. any other action taken, or proposed to be taken, to prevent a similar incident occurring in the future; and

     iv. details of any temporary control measures taken to minimise risks to well integrity to as low as practicable; and

     v. an estimate of when the control measures set out in the well operations management plan for the well will be reinstated.

However, if the titleholder cannot identify all material facts, circumstances and required remedial actions within 3 days, they must still submit the initial report using the information available at the time. If the incident remains unresolved after the initial report is submitted under section 102, the titleholder must provide a 30-day report. This report is due on the anniversary of the initial report submission and must be submitted every 30 days until the incident is resolved. 

Please submit written reportable incident reports using our Secure File Transfer service or by email submissions@nopsema.gov.au.