Oil Rig Off WA Coast Left Idle After Companies Go Bust

ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt

Topic: Oil and Gas

Sun 26 Jul 2026 at 10:03am

The Cliff Head oil platform has been operating since 2006, but it is now abandoned off the coast of Dongara.

In short:

Fishermen and conservationists are worried about the future of an oil rig after its owners went into administration.

Pilot Energy was working with Triangle Energy to reuse the Cliff Head oil platform off the coast of Dongara.

What's next?

Federal Resources Minister Madeline King said taxpayers will not pay for the cleanup, and administrators are assessing the project.

An abandoned oil rig off Western Australia's coast is causing a dispute over who will pay for the cleanup.

Local fishermen and conservation groups want the government to act on the Cliff Head oil platform before it harms crayfishing areas.

Pilot Energy and Triangle Energy were working together to reuse the rig, which is 11 kilometers off the coast of Dongara.

But both companies went bankrupt in July, leaving a $200 million cleanup bill.

Cray fisherman Mike Butcher is worried about the unused Cliff Head platform sitting idle at sea.

Platform 'mothballed'

Dongara cray fisherman Michael Butcher said the connection to the coast is important to residents.

It's the main industry in town. The ocean is part of our culture.

Mr. Butcher said he hasn't seen anyone maintaining the platform recently.

Local fishers say the old Cliff Head platform is falling into neglect.

There's no one checking on it every day.

You can see it's not been well maintained.

It's just been mothballed.

Lobster fisher Jonathon Buist said the area around the platform is home to many marine animals.

The area around the platform has many fish and caves where rock lobsters live, which is important for local businesses.

Crayfish can be found in caves near the Cliff Head oil platform.

'Canary in the coalmine'

Federal Resources Minister Madeline King said taxpayers won't pay the cleanup bill, and an emergency levy might be used.

Companies are required by law to pay for cleanup costs.

If needed, the government will extend the Northern Endeavor levy to cover cleanup costs.

The Cliff Head platform is abandoned after the companies operating it went into administration.

Ms. King said the safety regulator will ensure the platform doesn't harm the marine environment.

The offshore safety regulator has taken steps to ensure the Cliff Head facility doesn't pose an immediate threat to the marine environment.

Conservation Council of WA executive director Matt Roberts said the situation shows weaknesses in the cleanup system.

They've talked about having a financial assurances regime, but when will it be passed and enforced?

CCWA's Matt Roberts says better systems are needed for cleaning up infrastructure at sea.

Concern for other projects

Decommissioning the Cliff Head oil platform is not the only issue for fishers.

Before the company went bankrupt, there were protests against Pilot Energy's plans to test the sea bed for oil and gas.

I'm part of the Dongara against seismic blasting group, which is worried about the local environment.

Dongara community members are opposing seismic testing and potential damage to the rock lobster fishery.

The lobby group started in 2025 after Pilot Energy was approved to begin its Eureka 3D Marine Seismic Survey.

Seismic blasting involves releasing compressed air to produce low-frequency noise that penetrates rock layers.

The project was delayed for 12 months after Pilot failed to secure a suitable survey vessel.

With Pilot Energy in administration, Dongara residents hope plans for offshore seismic testing will be abandoned.

Mr. Butcher said fishers are unsure if a similar project could return.

We haven't had any consultation from the government about the future.

Pilot Energy administrators Cor Cordis said they have begun assessing the rig's future.

We recognize the importance of the Cliff Head project and will work with stakeholders to assess all available pathways.

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