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Keifie says time-frame for decision is soon!!!

PEP-11 shareholders propose PEP-11 as carbon-capture-and-storage area
Article by Ian Kirkwood/Newcastle Herald - 18 hours ago

An estimated 500 people participated in a protest paddle out at Nobbys Beach on Saturday. This is the latest in a series of events aimed at putting pressure on the federal government to revoke the controversial PEP-11 license that two Western Australian companies are using in their investigations. For gas off the hunter coast.

Oil exploration area 11 officially expired on February 12, but its two owners, Advent Energy (85%) and Bounty Oil and Gas (15%), have been appointed by Federal Resources Minister Keith Pitt for at least two years. At the same time, Advent’s major shareholder, BPH Energy Ltd, said in a quarterly investment report that it had applied to disallowed for drilling PEP-11 in the Baleen area with the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA).

Baleen is about 24 kilometers from the coast and about 30 kilometers southeast of Newcastle. “The application to NOPTA includes a maximum two-year extension of the licensed title to enable drilling and includes an application to remove the requirements for a 500 square kilometer 3D seismic program,” the BPH report said. “NOPTA has confirmed that this application is currently in the final stages of final decision.”

According to the report, Advent and Bounty are working on a baleen drilling program to “investigate the potential for carbon recovery and storage.” PEP-11 is controversial as an unusual coalition of environmental groups and politicians, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Premier and Trade Minister John Barilaro of New South Wales, opposes gas production from the region. It’s a problem that’s being brewed. At the same time, prominent federal citizens, including Matt Canavan, are supporting the project, and Mr. Canavan said during a recent visit to Hunter that oil and gas rigs had been sitting “off the coast of Melbourne” for nearly 50 years. Asked for comment after a paddle-out in Newcastle on Saturday, Mr. Pitt said he was still considering his decision. “As I regularly state, I give this proposal and recommendations from Minister Barillaro and NOPTA a complete and detailed review that deserves a decision for the national interest,” Pitt said on Sunday.

Barillaro announced his opposition to the project shortly after his license expired in February. A spokesperson for Mr. Pitt said the “recommendations” from the title office were not “public.” Asked for a time frame for the decision, Mr. Pitt said it would happen “soon.”

Natasha Dean, a dentist at Lake Macquarie, and public health advocates who started the Save Our Coast group in early 2018 said the campaign against the proposed East Coast gas extraction would continue. Nobby’s protests followed a similar rally two weeks ago at Mona Vale on Sydney’s northern beach and a week ago at Terrigal. A paddle out is planned for Byron Bay next Saturday. “I want Mr. Pitt to make a decision to listen to people’s wishes,”