TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has opened public submissions on a marine discharge consent application
from OMV GSB Limited for activity in the Great South Basin, offshore Otago.
• The application is for discharges from a drill rig that is associated with OMV GSB’s Exploration and Appraisal
Drilling Programme (EAD) within OMV’s exploration permit PEP 50119.
EPA’s General Manager of Climate, Land & Oceans Siobhan Quayle says: “OMV GSB’s marine discharge consent application is limited to the discharge of harmful
substances from the hazardous and non-hazardous deck drains aboard a drill rig.”
“In its application OMV GSB stated that the discharge relates to offshore processing drainage from deck drains of a
Mobile Offshore Drilling unit.
“Anyone who wants to make a submission can do so up until Monday 27 May 2019. Once submissions close, a public hearing
must be held within 40 working days,” says Ms Quayle.
Background: This type of discharge from a drill rig is a discretionary activity that is a publicly notified process
under the EEZ Act.
• The applicant needs an additional marine consent for any drilling to go ahead, which will be granted or refused
by an EPA-appointed Decision-making Committee. As the EEZ Act regulations classify exploration drilling as a
non-notified process, a public hearing or submission process does not take place for that application.
ends