A $1 billion investment in offshore gas exploration off the south-west coast is well under way to ensure the Otway Gas Plant near Port Campbell can help address a looming gas shortage.
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One of two Beach Energy onshore-to-offshore projects planned for the coast, the Black Watch well at its current Nirranda South site, is nearing the final stages of drilling.
Testing is expected to happen mid-April and the public will be noticed when flaring of the well will be carried out.
A second well located near Port Campbell, called Enterprise, will be an exploration well and will commence once the drill rig has relocated from Black Watch and final testing has been completed.
The drilling rig - which is 55 metres high - will be very visible from the Great Ocean Road, especially at night during the 24-hour-a-day drilling phase.
"The drill site location has been chosen to reach the offshore target, so it will be reasonably close to the Great Ocean Road," the company says.
Both projects are not related to the Victorian Government's lifting of onshore gas exploration.
Using an extended reach drilling techniques, the project involves drilling up to 2700 meters below the surface and using directional techniques to steer the well about 3.5km offshore to the potential gas reserves under the sea bed.
Later this year, the first of as many as nine offshore wells will be drilled up to 80 kilometres from the coast of Port Campbell.
Fracking will not be used on any of the wells.
"Victoria needs to continue develop its natural gas supplies to prevent shortages in the coming years, so Beach's investment in new supply is critical in ensuring the Otway Gas Plant can continue to deliver natural gas for homes and businesses," Beach Energy community manager Linda French said.
"The most important thing for us is the safety of our people and the environment, which is why we use only proven technologies and we have people who are the best at what they do.
"We rely heavily on support from local suppliers including earthworks, plumbing and electrical, maintenance and a wide range of support services.
"While our drilling activities are highly specialised and require national and international expertise, we always look to local suppliers who provide significant support for our projects.
"At the peak of operations, we support about 90 jobs, plus of course the ongoing workforce at the Otway Gas Plant.
Ms French said that while the company accepted that not everyone was going to embrace the industry, the aim was always to minimise any impacts on other local industries such as farming, tourism and commercial fishing.
"There is also a significant role for natural gas in tackling climate change. It is widely recognised that natural gas will be a crucial part of Australia's and the global energy mix for many years as renewables uptake increase," she said.
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