Report an incident

Reporting guidelines

We have provided Notification and reporting of accidents and dangerous occurrences guidance note for reporting accidents and dangerous occurrences. The template Report of an accident, dangerous occurrence or environmental incident form may be used when reporting incidents to NOPSEMA, provided in MS Word format.

Monthly summary

Operators of offshore facilities are required to submit a monthly summary of incident information. The timing and format of this report are described in Deaths and injuries - monthly summary reporting guideline. We recommend the use of the template Death and monthly injury summary report form provided in MS Word format.

Submitting incident reports

See the Making a submission to NOPSEMA page.

Oral notification

Dutyholders must make a verbal notification of a reportable incident to NOPSEMA, via the dedicated NOPSEMA incident phone number 1300 674 472 as soon as practicable after the reportable incident, or after first becoming aware of a reportable incident.

In this context 'as soon as practicable' includes having due regard to any immediate emergency response necessary. This verbal notification must contain:

1. All available material facts and circumstances concerning the reportable incident, and

2. Any action taken, or proposed to be taken, to stop, control or remedy the reportable incident

Written report

In addition to verbal notification, dutyholders must provide NOPSEMA with a written report of the reportable incident. The dutyholder must submit the report no later than 3 days after the first occurrence of the reportable incident. The report must contain:

1. All material facts and circumstances concerning the reportable incident that the dutyholder knows or is able, by reasonable search or enquiry, to find out; and

2. Any action taken to, or proposed to be taken, to stop, control or remedy the reportable incident

3. Any other action taken or proposed to be taken, to prevent a similar incident occurring in the future.

However, if the dutyholder has been unable to identify ALL the material facts and circumstances, and remedial actions, to be taken within the 3 days; the (initial) report must nevertheless be submitted with all of the information available at that time. Subsequently, if the dutyholder requires additional time to investigate to submit all information this time must be agreed with NOPSEMA.

Please submit written reportable incident reports using our Secure File Transfer service or by email submissions@nopsema.gov.au.

To notify NOPSEMA of an accident, dangerous occurrence call NOPSEMA’s dedicated incident notification phone line on 1300 674 472.

This line will be answered directly, at any time, depending on the type of incident chosen from the menu options. Outside of office hours, on weekends and public holidays, the duty holder may leave a voicemail with their contact details and, dependent on the incident, their call will be returned within 2 hours (from 0800hrs to 2200hrs AWST). All other calls will be returned as soon as possible on the following day.

Any occurrence of sexual harassment and/or assault at or near an offshore facility is considered by NOPSEMA to be an occurrence that could reasonably cause a member of the workforce to be incapacitated from work for a period of at least 3 days, and therefore is considered a ‘dangerous occurrence’ notifiable and reportable under Part 4 of Chapter 2 of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Safety) Regulations 2009 and Clause 82 of Schedule 3 to the OPGGS Act 2006.

For offshore facilities in state or Northern Territory designated coastal waters (other than Victorian designated coastal waters), operators are required to make notifications and submit reports on accidents and dangerous occurrences (including monthly summaries of incident information) to the relevant state or Northern Territory agency. For example, for Western Australian designated waters notifications and reports are to be made to the Department of Mines and Petroleum.

For activities in Victorian designated coastal waters, operators are required to make notifications and submit reports on accidents and dangerous occurrences (including monthly summaries of incident information) to NOPSEMA.

Titleholders have a legal obligation under the Offshore Petroleum Greenhouse Gas Storage (RMA) Regulations 2011 (OPGGS(RMA) Regulations 2011) to report well integrity incidents to NOPSEMA within a specified period of time.

As defined in regulation 5.02 of the OPGGS(RMA) Regulations 2011, reportable incidents in relation to a well are:

1. a loss of integrity of the well, including a well kick, resulting in a release of more than:

   1. 1 kilogram of gas; or

   2. 80 litres of liquid;

2. a failure of hydrostatic pressure as a primary barrier, leading to:

   1. a build-up of pressure or a positive flow check; and

   2. the operation of a blow-out prevention or diversion system;

3. damage to, or failure of, well-related equipment that has led or could lead to a loss of integrity of the well;

4. any other unplanned occurrence that requires the titleholder to implement measures or arrangements to regain control of the well.

For further guidance refer to Notification, reporting and recording requirements for well-related incidents.

Duty holders have a legal obligation under the Offshore Petroleum Greenhouse Gas Storage (Environment) Regulations 2009 to report incidents to NOPSEMA within a specified period of time, depending on the impact or potential impact to the environment.

Reportable incident

A reportable environmental incident means an incident relating to the activity that has caused or has the potential to cause moderate to significant environmental damage. These are defined in the titleholder’s environment plan.

The titleholder is required to provide an oral notification to NOPSEMA as soon as practicable and no later than 2 hours, of a reportable environmental incident occurring.

The titleholder must provide a written notification as soon as practicable, and in any case, not later than 3 days after the first occurrence of the reportable incident, or another period specified by NOPSEMA.

A written record of the notification is also required to be submitted to NOPSEMA as soon as practicable after the oral notification of the incident and must contain all information specified under the Environment Regulations.  

The titleholder must also provide a copy of the report, within 7 days of giving the written report to NOPSEMA, to NOPTA (via email to resources@nopta.gov.au) and the Department of the responsible State or Territory Minister.

NOPSEMA, may by written request, require the titleholder to submit additional written reports, after the initial written report is received.

Please submit written reportable incident reports using our Secure File Transfer service or by email to submissions@nopsema.gov.au.

To orally notify NOPSEMA of a reportable environmental incident: 1300 674 472.

Recordable incidents

A recordable environmental incident means a breach of an environmental performance outcome or standard in the environment plan that applies to the activity and is not a reportable incident.

A written report of all recordable incidents must be provided to NOPSEMA as soon as practicable after the end of the calendar month, and in any case, not later than 15 days after the end of the calendar month. The written report must contain all information specified under the Environment Regulations.

If no recordable incidents have occurred, a 'nil incident' report should be submitted to NOPSEMA. Please submit monthly recordable incident reports using our Secure File Transfer service or by email to submissions@nopsema.gov.au.

Notification and reporting of commencement and completion of activities

Notification of the start and end of an activity (Regulation 29)

Regulation 29 of the Environment Regulations requires that:

• a titleholder must notify NOPSEMA that an activity is to commence at least 10 days before the activity commences; and

• a titleholder must notify NOPSEMA that an activity is completed within 10 days after the completion.

Notification of the end of operation of an environment plan (Regulation 25A)

Regulation 25A of the Environment Regulations provides that the operation of an environment plan ends when:

• the titleholder notifies NOPSEMA that:

  -   the activity or activities to which the plan relates have ended; and

  -   all of the obligations under the environment plan have been completed; and

  -   NOPSEMA accepts the notification.

Titleholders may provide NOPSEMA with written notification of commencement and completion dates and/or the end of operation of an environment plan directly by email, letter, or by using the forms available under ‘Quick Links’.

Please submit written notifications using our SecureFile Transfer service or by email to submissions@nopsema.gov.au

Notification of the start and end of an activity (Regulation 29)

Regulation 29 of the Environment Regulations requires that:

• a titleholder must notify NOPSEMA that an activity is to commence at least 10 days before the activity commences; and

• a titleholder must notify NOPSEMA that an activity is completed within 10 days after the completion.

Notification of the end of operation of an environment plan (Regulation 25A)

Regulation 25A of the Environment Regulations provides that the operation of an environment plan ends when the titleholder notifies NOPSEMA that:

• the activity or activities to which the plan relates have ended; and

• all of the obligations under the environment plan have been completed; and

• NOPSEMA accepts the notification.

Titleholders may provide NOPSEMA with written notification of commencement and completion dates and/or the end of operation of an environment plan directly by email, letter, or by using the forms available under 'Quick Links'.

Please submit written notifications using our SecureFile Transfer service or by email to submissions@nopsema.gov.au