From Australia (LB): It’s back to the drawing board for BP in the unexplored Great Australian Bight after the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) rejected the company’s drilling plans for the region.

BP had applied to drill four exploration wells in the Great Australian Bight off the coast of South Australia, with first spud targeted in 2016.

However NOPSEMA has proved a roadblock for BP’s plans after it announced the company’s environmental plans were not up to standard.

“NOPSEMA made a decision that it was not satisfied that BP’s environment plan for exploration drilling in the Great Australian Bight had met regulatory requirements,” the agency said.

“After a thorough and rigorous assessment, NOPSEMA has determined that the environment plan does not yet meet the criteria for acceptance under the environment regulations, and has advised BP of this decision.”

By law, NOPSEMA is required to provide BP with a reasonable opportunity to modify the environment plan, at which point it will be reassessed by NOPSEMA.

BP said it would work hard to ensure its resubmitted plan meets NOPSEMA’s standards.

“It is usual for NOPSEMA to provide initial feedback that titleholders need to address before resubmitting an updated version,” the company said.

“NOPSEMA is a diligent and thorough regulator, and we expect to have to work hard and take the time to demonstrate that we have got our EP right.”

Last month, NOPSEMA advised that it needed extra time to reach an initial decision on BP’s drilling plans and acknowledged the drilling program had attracted significant community interest.

The Great Australian Bight is home to the southern right whale nurseries, while more than 85% of known marine species in the region are found nowhere else in the world.

Responding to the decision, the Wilderness Society South Australia said BP appeared to have learned nothing from the Gulf of Mexico disaster.

“BP wants to drill for oil in the pristine waters of the Great Australian Bight and submitted an inadequate application,” Company Director Peter Owen said.

“It doesn’t appear that BP even completed an oil pollution emergency plan or a comprehensive risk assessment.

“BP should take this opportunity to drop its plans to drill in the Great Australian Bight especially after it released a statement last month saying it supported action on climate change.”

BP was awarded four blocks in the Bight in 2011 covering about 24,500 sq km. A large position of ground traverses a significant portion of the underexplored Ceduna sub-basin.

BP has a 70% working interest in the Bight program, with Statoil holding the reaming interest.