"They have advised us that their environmental plans are still in play, they sought an extension for responding to a request for further information and that request was granted," Smith told a Senate inquiry into exploration in the Bight, as cited by the ABC Australia broadcaster.
BP oil company, which caused one of the biggest ever oil spills during an incident in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, has been pushing hard to acquire the right to drill in the Great Australian Bight, and after spending hundreds of millions of dollars to tap into the deep waters of South Australia, it later announced on October 11 that it has pulled out from the deal.
However, on October 28, Nopsema granted a request from BP for an extension to the time period so the company could provide its environmental plan.
Smith also confirmed in front of the Senate that if the environmental plans of BP had received approval, then it would be allowed to go further with drilling or sell the right to drill to in the Great Australian Bight to another company.
Meanwhile, energy firm Chevron has reaffirmed its plan to drill four exploration wells in the Bight.
Nopsema is an independent Australian expert regulator that works on ensuring health and safety measures are met by offshore petroleum facilities and activities in Commonwealth waters.
