Transfer of petroleum infrastructure to landholders

The petroleum industry is authorised to construct various types of infrastructure when undertaking petroleum activities issued under an environmental authority (EA).

Responsibility for this infrastructure may be transferred, either during or upon completion of the petroleum activity, allowing them to use it for their own purposes.

The Queensland Government recognises the value of certain on-farm petroleum infrastructure (such as wells and bores) to landholders and supports the retention and transfer of these assets for agricultural and other purposes, providing certain circumstances are met.

To transfer petroleum infrastructure, the landholder and the petroleum operator need to develop a written agreement.

A Landholder fact sheet for transferring petroleum infrastructure to landholders (ESR/2020/5430) has been developed to provide landholders who are interested in taking on infrastructure from petroleum activities with further information about the transfer process.

In deciding whether to approve the infrastructure transfer, the department’s role is to ensure the land is safe, stable and does not pose any harm to the environment. Infrastructure that is suitable to be transferred to landholders is categorised according to environmental risk and rehabilitation requirements for ongoing management and monitoring.

The Guideline – Transferring petroleum infrastructure to landholders  (ESR/2020/5403) outlines the petroleum infrastructure that can be transferred to landholders, the department’s considerations for each category and whether changes to the EA are required.