APACHE Energy is trying to stop a joint Federal-State inquiry from seeing certain documents it provided to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority investigation into the Varanus explosion.
According to Apache, it provided confidential and commercially sensitive information to NOPSA, and this information should not have been disclosed or used by the $1m joint inquiry.
Apache applied to the Federal Court in Perth to prevent panel members from using the information from NOPSA’s investigation into the technical causes of the explosion. If the court grants this, the inquiry’s report would need to be rewritten, or the inquiry will need to be held again.
The material in contention is NOPSA’s investigative report into the June 2008 Varanus explosion. It found Apache had failed to conduct maintenance and repair activities for 16 years on the gas pipeline.
Apache is concerned that adverse findings by the joint inquiry will affect its licenses, and negatively impact on its future bids for exploration permits.
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