PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Australian government on Friday announced that it would undertake a strategic assessment of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority’s (Nopsema’s) current environmental management process, in an effort to ensure a one-stop-shop approvals process for offshore petroleum activities.

Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane noted that the environmental impacts of offshore petroleum activities were currently regulated under both the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act and the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act.

“This dual assessment, monitoring and enforcement creates duplication and is an unnecessary burden on business, without any additional environmental protection benefits.”

Macfarlane said that the government has prioritised the strategic assessment in order for Nopsema’s environmental regulation to be recognised as meeting requirements of the EPBC Act, without additional referral or approval required from a separate commonwealth regulator.

“The outcome of this strategic assessment will be to deliver faster environmental approvals, reduce duplication in environmental assessments and regulation, and promote Australian industry and protect employment while maintaining integrity of the environmental approvals process,” said federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt.

He added that the strategic assessment would need to demonstrate that the current high environmental standards could be achieved in protecting Australia’s marine environment, adding that any lessening standards of protection would not be accepted.

The assessment would include public consultation on draft legislation, which would be released before the end of the year.

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) said on Friday said that the assessment had the potential to lead to a sensible reform that would remove excessive and duplicative regulation for the offshore oil and gas industry.

“This is exactly the sort of policy assessment needed if the petroleum industry is to be in a position to secure further investment amid growing competition from North America and East Africa,” Appea CEO Noel Mullen said.

He noted that the assessment, and the development of a one-stop-shop had the potential to lighten the weight of unnecessary regulation and allow for greater focus on improving performance and competitiveness.