The South East Pipeline System (SEPS) is a transmission pipeline in south-east South Australia. The pipeline is owned and operated by Epic Energy South Australia (EESA), a wholly owned subsidiary of QIC Global Infrastructure (QIC).
The SEPS is 82 km in length and has a capacity of 15 TJ/day. The pipeline system consists of two mainline pipelines (Katnook to Snuggery and Glencoe to Mount Gambier) and two lateral pipelines (Katnook to Safries and Kalangadoo to Nangwarry). The SEPS initially transported gas from the Otway basin Katnook gas fields to users at Penola, Snuggery and Mount Gambier in south-east South Australia. In 2005, following the decline in production from the Katnook gas fields, the SEPS was linked to the SEA Gas Pipeline via the South East South Australia (SESA) Pipeline. Gas is now sourced from the offshore Otway basin gas fields near Port Campbell and the underground gas storage at Iona in southern Victoria.
The SEPS is currently a non-scheme pipeline, and is subject to the access regime for non-scheme pipelines under Chapter 6A of the NGL and Part 23 of the NGR. On 13 December 2017, the AER granted a 5 year category 3 exemption under Part 23 of the NGR for the South East Pipeline System.
The SEPS was initially a covered pipeline under the Gas Code. However, coverage was revoked in 2000. In November 2012, an application for a coverage determination of the SEPS was made to the NCC. In April 2013, the NCC recommended that the SEPS remain an uncovered pipeline. In October 2013, the relevant minister decided not to make a coverage determination in relation to the SEPS.
The SEPS was constructed in 1991. In December 2012, the APA Group acquired the SEPS when it completed its takeover of Hastings Diversified Utilities Fund (the investment fund behind Epic Energy). The SEPS was one of several pipelines across Australia owned by Epic Energy. In May 2013, QIC purchased the SEPS together with the Moomba to Adelaide Pipeline System (MAPS) from the APA Group.