2024-08-28
The Victorian Greens have successfully established a parliamentary inquiry into gas decommissioning that will investigate the hundreds of old rusted oil and gas wells that sit off the coast of Victoria, potentially leaking methane into the atmosphere and gas into the oceans.
The inquiry comes just one week after new research indicates that one in four oil and gas wells will fail, and just months after two retired Esso and Exxon Mobil gas wells leaked huge amounts of gas into our oceans and atmosphere in Victoria.
There are currently 400 rusty old oil and gas wells scattered across the Victorian coast and over 23,000km of gas pipeline onshore that are at huge risk of leaking which not only damage the environment but have serious health implications and cost taxpayers billions.
The cost to clean up gas and oil wells across Australia is estimated to be $60 billion and both the state and federal Labor governments currently have no plan to force fossil fuel corporations to pay or clean up after themselves.
The Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell says that something has got to change and that this inquiry is an important push towards making sure the state and federal Labor governments force fossil fuel corporations to clean up after themselves.
Quotes attributable to Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:
“It’s not right that there are currently hundreds of gas and oil wells scattered across Victoria that fossil fuel corporations have just left there to leak gas and oil into our oceans.
“What’s worse is the Government has no idea of the size and scale of the problem or how much dangerous methane is leaking into our oceans and atmosphere, destroying our climate.
“Fossil fuel corporations are getting a free ride to leave their rubbish and leaky wells in our oceans, and it shouldn’t be left to taxpayers to have to clean up their mess.
“We need a plan to fix this and for the Victorian and federal Labor governments to force fossil corporations to clean up after themselves.”