WORKSAFE Victoria has imposed a condition on Esso’s licence to operate its Longford plant, after corroded pipelines caused crude oil or gas to leak.
The safety organisation imposed the condition on Esso’s licence after four separate corrosion-related leak incidents since December 2008.
The most recent incident was in August 2010, when WorkSafe issued two safety improvement notices to Esso after a crude oil leak.
WorkSafe says it is concerned about the effectiveness of Esso’s maintenance of pipes and related structures at Longford. It is seeking assurance from Esso that it is taking the necessary steps to keep pipes in safe condition.
The licence condition requires Esso demonstrate improved maintenance to reduce the risk of corrosion and leakage, analyse past corrosion incidents and identify trends, identify measures to stop further incidents from occurring, and develop a plan to implement the above measures. These tasks will need to be completed by July 2011.