Port Bonython Fuels is a fuel importation and
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
distribution hub at
Port Bonython
Port Bonython is the location of a deepwater port, gas fractionation plant and diesel storage facility west of Point Lowly in the Upper Spencer Gulf region of South Australia. It lies 16 km east-northeast of Whyalla, South Australia and app ...
on the
Point Lowly
Point Lowly is the tip of a small peninsula north north-east of Whyalla in the Upper Spencer Gulf region of South Australia. The wider peninsula is shared by a combination of defence, industrial, residential, recreational and tourism interests ...
peninsula in South Australia's upper
Spencer Gulf region. The development was designed to supply the State's expanding
oil
An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...
,
gas
Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma).
A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g. oxygen), or ...
and
mineral
In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2 ...
resources sectors' operations in the north and west of the state. It allows South Australia to import fuel from ships carrying cargoes in excess of 100,000 tonnes- approximately four times the size of vessels currently importing diesel via Port Adelaide.
The project is owned by Petro Diamond Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Mitsubishi Corporation
is Japan's largest trading company (sogo shosha) and a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu. As of 2022, Mitsubishi Corporation employs over 80,000 people and has ten business segments, including finance, banking, energy, machinery, chemical ...
. The first stage of the project was officially opened in May 2016.
Petroleum importation in South Australia
Prior to establishment of Port Bonython Fuels, South Australia imported hydrocarbons at ports with significant depth constraints. The two berths receiving hydrocarbons were at Kirton Point,
Port Lincoln
Port Lincoln is a town on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in the Australian state of South Australia. It is situated on the shore of Boston Bay, which opens eastward into Spencer Gulf. It is the largest city in the West Coast region, and is located a ...
(with a draught of 9.9 metres) and at Inner harbor,
Port Adelaide (with a draught of 10.7 metres). With a depth of approximately 20 metres, Port Bonython will be able to receive cargoes from much larger tankers than at the state's shallower ports.
Ownership
The terminal is owned by IOR Terminals Pty Ltd, an Australian company based in
Adelaide, South Australia. The facility is operated by Coogee Chemicals.
The pre-existing 2.4 kilometre long jetty at Port Bonython is used by Port Bonython Fuels to import hydrocarbons. The jetty was constructed by
Santos Ltd in 1982, and was sold to the
Government of South Australia in 1983 for $48.2 million. As of 2015, the jetty remains Government infrastructure but has been used exclusively by Santos for the export of hydrocarbon products.
Operations
Fuel is imported to a land-based tank farm then distributed via tankers up to A-Triple in size. Vessels berth at the existing wharf at Port Bonython, which is capable of accommodating vessels of 120,000 DWT. Two new loading arms were added to the jetty to support the facility's needs, along with 5.2 km of pipeline which connects the berth with the land-based facility. Three tanks have been constructed, each with a capacity of 27 million litres.
The tank farm at Stage 1 has an aggregate storage capacity of 81 million litres. The facility was designed to offer a 24-hour, 7-day-per-week service.
History
Port Bonython Fuels was originally conceived by Stuart Petroleum and the Scott Group of Companies in August 2007, as a $45 million joint venture project. It was disclosed as part of the Government of South Australia's plan to support the growth of the mining sector in 2008. A Development Application was lodged with the Government of South Australia by Stuart Petroleum in May 2009.
The Port Bonython Fuels project received development approval in January 2010. Senex Energy acquired Stuart Petroleum, then sold Port Bonython Fuels to Mitsubishi Corporation in 2012–13. The project was re-announced in 2014, and valued at $110 million. Treasurer
Tom Koutsantonis
Anastasious "Tom" Koutsantonis is an Australian politician in the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party, representing the seats of West Torrens (2002−current) and Peake (1997−2002) as a Labor member in the South Australian ...
described the facility as providing a "competitive and reliable supply and helping underpin future economic growth."
The proposal was met with opposition from the
Alternative Port Working Party The Alternative Port Working Party is a community action group based in Whyalla, South Australia on the shore of northern Spencer Gulf. Its membership includes a number of retired engineers with experience in mining, shipping and bulk commodities h ...
, which has campaigned for the relocation of industrial development projects away from the Point Lowly peninsula. Spokesperson Sid Wilson told the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
in 2014:
"We still have the concern that they are degrading the natural environment - as much as they'll create 10 new jobs full-time they'll degrade the tourism and recreation appeal of that area. Really our concern is that they're developing the best piece of coastal marine land within 100 kilometres of Whyalla."
The first stage of the project was officially opened in May 2016.
The project and its partners' interests are represented to the South Australian parliament by resources sector specialist lobbyist, Barker Wentworth.
In 2020, the facility was purchased by IOR.
References
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Economy of South Australia
Energy in South Australia