Achievements and challenges
A selection of BP Australia's achievements and challenges during 2007-08, focusing on those with implications for our sustainability and that of the environment and societies around us
Achievements
North West Shelf Venture expansion: With our joint venture partners, we took the final investment decision on a A$5 billion expansion at our North West Shelf Venture to extend the operating life of the North Rankin and Perseus fields.Safety: Our refineries at Bulwer Island and Kwinana have taken action to meet the requirements of the company’s six-point plan, drawn up following the Texas city refinery explosion and fire in 2005, to improve process safety management and reduce risk at our operations.
Product stewardship: Our low aromatic fuel, Opal®, continued to have a positive impact on reducing petrol sniffing in the central desert region.
Ethanol supply: BP increased the availability of its ethanol-blended fuel to a total of 185 sites in New South Wales, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory.
Cleaner power: BP completed a feasibility study of the Kwinana Hydrogen Energy Project – an industrial scale clean coal power station.
Solar: BP Solar continued to play a significant role in the Australian government’s Solar Cities program, participating in three projects.
Challenges
Energy pricing: Rising world energy prices led to significant increases in fuel prices in Australia and caused major political and consumer concern. An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission inquiry found no evidence of price collusion but recommended increased monitoring powers over the fuel industry.Energy security: An unusually high number of unplanned refinery shut-downs affected the entire industry across the country in 2008 creating concerns about fuel supply. While disruptions occurred, we successfully managed to avoid major supply shortages.
Climate change: We continue to contribute our views on how best to respond to the challenge of climate change, including the development of an appropriate framework for emissions trading.
Ethanol production: Following commercial appraisal, we decided not to purchase the output from a proposed ethanol plant in Western Australia nor to invest in its construction.
Petrol sniffing: A coroner’s inquiry into the death of a young boy from sniffing petrol raised questions about our use of the term ‘non-sniffable’ in regard to our low-aromatic fuel, Opal®.
Attestation note
The information on this page has been reviewed by Ernst & Young.
