Cooper Energy: Sole Pipeline Test Fails

Australia-based Cooper Energy says testing of the newly installed Sole pipeline in the eastern Gippsland basin offshore Victoria, southeast Australia has revealed localized damage.

"Laying of the 65 km pipeline to link the recently completed Sole production wells offshore Victoria to the Orbost Gas Plant has been completed by the contractor. The pipeline has been laid on the seabed, is unconnected to the gas fields and not carrying hydrocarbons," said a press release from the oil and gas exploration company focusing its activities in the Cooper Basin of South Australia.

The contractor has advised Cooper Energy that, whilst conducting the acceptance pressure test of the pipeline with water (hydrotest) an anomaly was identified which has prevented the pipeline from holding internal pressure.

The contractor subsequently identified a through wall thickness opening in the pipeline at one location. This opening has been observed in the pipe itself and not at a weld.

The contractor is assessing the damage to the pipeline and developing plans for repair, prior to completing the hydrotest. The hydrotest is an industry standard method of testing pipeline integrity before connection to the production wells.

Advice at this stage indicates the time required for repair is not expected to impact the date of first commercial gas sales planned for July 2019, the release said.