Care and Maintenance

Care and maintenance refers to a phase when production has stopped and the site is managed to ensure it remains in a safe and stable condition. This way, production may resume or the site may be decommissioned and rehabilitated.

Placing a site in care and maintenance mode may be done in response to resources depletion, unfavourable economic conditions or low resource prices which are expected to improve at a later date. Safety, environmental and public risk aspects continue to be managed while sites are in care and maintenance.

The Mitsui E&P Australia (MEPAU) sites in care and maintenance include the Hovea Production Facility and the Woodada Production Facility. The Dongara Production Facility stopped production in 2016 and is being prepared for care and maintenance. Partial decommissioning occurred in January 2021, with removal of the redundant gas processing equipment and reusing or recycling it where practical. The administrative building, workshop and two condensate tanks are still being used.