Code of Environmental Practice

Code of Environmental Practice Onshore Pipelines Revision 5

Revision 5 - 2022

The APGA Code of Environmental Practice (CoEP) provides industry accepted guidance on environmental management through the planning and asset acquisition, construction, operational and decommissioning phases of a pipelines’ lifecycle.

This Code is focused on the key activities conducted during these different pipeline lifecycle phases, and the potential environmental risks that arise from these activities.

The pipeline industry has a vital role in ensuring the economic and environmental wellbeing of Australia. Pipelines are critical in the supply of energy, water and mineral resources to communities and industries in Australia. Pipelines directly contribute to national economic growth and make up an integral part in supplying critical commodities and energy sources to domestic and international markets.

In Australia, pipelines are used for a range of purposes, including:

gas transmission, storage and distribution
petroleum and petrochemical liquids transmission
domestic and industrial water supply
sewage and wastewater removal, including recycled water
slurry transportation
power line and cable conduits.

In any industry, environmental management is the practice of identifying, assessing and managing the environmental risks and hazards associated with an activity and the surrounding environment. An environmental risk is the likelihood that an undesirable outcome to an environmental receptor or feature will occur (i.e. risk of environmental harm). Environmental harm could include death, removal, loss of amenity, destruction or degradation of the environment or environmental values.

The role of environmental management in business is to adequately identify, assess and manage potential impacts on the environment – the ideal outcome being avoidance or minimisation of any environmental harm – in line with, or in exceedance of, environmental laws.

Environmental management is important to the pipelines industry because Australian jurisdictions have environmental legal frameworks that manage the impacts of industries on the environment in the public interest. Equally, when managed carefully and strategically, environmental management can deliver overall benefits to the environment, community and business. The Australian pipeline industry is committed to ensuring that pipelines have a transient physical impact on the environments they pass through, and that they continue to do this throughout all phases of a pipelines lifecycle.

Follow this link to access a copy of the code

Feedback

If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback on Revision 5 of the Code of Environmental Practice please send us an email at apga@apga.org.au.

Acknowledgements

This revision of the Code of Environmental Practice (CoEP) has been prepared on behalf of the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) by a working group consisting of environmental management professionals from within the APGAs membership.

The working group, led by APGAs Environmental Sub-committee chair Matt McDermott (CNC) consisted of Mark Brown (AGIG); Brynne Jayatilaka (Ventia); Jodi Wood (Jemena); Rahul Dorairaj (Jemena); Brent Davey (Monarc Environmental); James Crewe (McConnell Dowell); Christy Harvey (McConnell Dowell); Tanya Reedman (Advisian); Martin Ross (McConnell Dowell); Tim Walker (McConnell Dowell); Brett Rodgers (Nacap); Shaun Smith (Smith Environmental) and John Tunney (APA).

APGA would like to thank members of the Health, Safety and Environment Committee who reviewed the drafts of the Code, and regulators from a number of State and Territory government bodies who reviewed the penultimate draft and provided feedback which has been incorporated into the final version.

The 2021 revision of the Code of Environmental Practice was possible only because of the previous contributions made by members to its initial development and the several revisions that have been made over the years since it was first developed. We thank all those who have contributed their time and expertise to the development of this CoEP since its inception.

Disclaimer

The content of this document is a guide only. This guideline does not represent a minimum acceptable standard for Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) members or other participants in the planning, construction, operation or decommissioning of gas (transmission and distribution), water or slurry pipelines.

Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation and regulation set out the relevant standards and obligations that must be met by a pipeline throughout its lifecycle. Contractual agreements setting out responsibilities, obligations and liabilities between counter-parties should appropriately reference the relevant legal and regulatory requirements. Any reference to this Code in a contract should use the relevant section numbers.

Legislation and regulation relevant to the planning, asset acquisition, construction, operation and decommissioning of gas, water and slurry pipelines can be frequently amended by State and Territory governments. To ensure currency and consistency with existing legislation, APGA advises its members to undertake a review prior to commencement of planning each new project. APGA advises its members to seek clarification on approvals processes from personnel with experience in these processes and from the relevant Commonwealth, State/Territory or local government regulatory authorities.

All care has been taken in the research and collation of this Code, but this publication is provided on the understanding that the authors and editors are not responsible for any errors or omissions or the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in this work