The Taranaki Regional Council Has Found No Evidence to Support Recent Non-Specific Allegations of Non-Compliance at Wellsites Operated by Australian-Based Origin Energy Ltd in Taranaki.

A report to the Council’s Consents and Regulatory Committee’s 2 February meeting says no further action will be taken on the allegations, which were raised through the news media in early January and arose from a statement of claim against Origin, associated with an employment matter, and filed in court by a former company employee. These referred to an allegedly unreported gas leak or leaks at the Rimu/Kauri/Manutahi operations (wellsites).

The Council’s Director-Resource Management, Fred McLay, says Council officers made a thorough investigation of the allegations as they currently stand, and found no proof, nor evidence of adverse environmental effects from the company’s activities. The company fully co-operated with the investigation.

The investigation included extra and unannounced inspections of the relevant wellsites and sampling of nearby shallow groundwater, as well as reviews of the Council’s monitoring data and company records since 2008.

Discussions were held with senior company officials, who also disclosed relevant incident management computer files and reporting system information. Council officers also talked to Origin officials, regulators and news media sources in Australia, and unsuccessfully sought details and explanations from the former Origin employee who raised the allegations.

“There is nothing more to be done,” says Mr McLay. “We will look at it again if more details emerge about the alleged non-compliance.”

ENDS

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