Australia’s offshore oil and gas authority NOPSEMA has approved Norwegian oil-giant Equinor’s Environment Plan for drilling in the Great Australian Bight. 

This is the second of four approvals required before drilling activity can begin for the Stromlo-1 exploration well located 400 kilometers south west of Ceduna and 476 kilometers west of Port Lincoln.

Under Commonwealth legislation, energy companies must have a petroleum title, an accepted environment plan, well operations management plan and activity safety case before they can undertake any offshore oil and gas activity.

The environmental assessment process has taken almost…