May 24, 2021
Beach Energy are currently undertaking an offshore drilling campaign in the Otway Offshore basin, near Port Campbell in south west Victoria.
Recently, they’ve observed recreational vessels entering the Petroleum Safety Zone (PSZ) around the drill rig. While they have instructed a number of vessels to move on, it has been a recurring issue. Fishers are reminded that all commercial and recreational vessels in the area are required to observe the 500 m radius Petroleum Safety Zone (PSZ) around the drill rig.
The drill rig is currently located approximately 54 km south of Port Campbell where it is drilling the Geographe-5 and Geographe-4 wells and is expected to remain at that location for another 1 to 2 months. The rig will then be relocated to drill a further 4 wells in the Thylacine gas field and carry out the completion activities. The project is expected to be completed by December 2022.
The Ocean Onyx drill rig is supported by supply vessels travelling from Geelong Port to the drill sites throughout the drilling project.
| Ocean Onyx Location: Geographe-5 | |||
| Northing | Easting | Lat. | Long. |
| (m) | (m) | (S) | (E) |
| 5,669,425 | 668,725 | 39° 06’ 28.82” | 142° 57’ 05.05” |
Vessels are also required to observe a 2 km radius cautionary zone for the avoidance of the rig’s mooring chains and anchors. Anchors have been pre-laid at the Geographe wells locations as shown in the table below.
| Line | Northing | Easting | Lat. | Long. |
| (m) | (m) | (S) | (E) | |
| 1 | 5,668,168 | 668,717 | 39° 07′ 09.57994″ | 142° 57′ 05.84447″ |
| 2 | 5,668,332 | 668,123 | 39° 07′ 04.67613″ | 142° 56′ 40.97576″ |
| 3 | 5,669,438 | 667,970 | 39° 06′ 28.92410″ | 142° 56′ 33.62298″ |
| 4 | 5,669,832 | 667,999 | 39° 06′ 16.12988″ | 142° 56′ 34.47895″ |
| 5 | 5,669,962 | 668,706 | 39° 06′ 11.42360″ | 142° 57′ 03.78210″ |
| 6 | 5,670,289 | 669,357 | 39° 06′ 00.36747″ | 142° 57′ 30.57715″ |
| 7 | 5,669,383 | 669,587 | 39° 06′ 29.58020″ | 142° 57′ 40.96141″ |
| 8 | 5,668,954 | 669,482 | 39° 06′ 43.56243″ | 142° 57′ 36.97744″ |
