The Federal Government's plans for a national regulator of offshore gas and petroleum production has been supported by a leading academic at the oil and gas sector's annual meeting.

 

Australian National University professor of sociology, Andrew Hopkins, voiced his support for a  single regulator, echoing the view of the sector's peak body, the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA).

 

"It is in our interest to have a robust regulator with a focus on integrity, and we believe that can be best served by having a single regulator," Professor Hopkins told APPEA's conference in Perth on Tuesday.

 

Currently both Commonwealth and state governments are jointly responsible for regulating offshore petroleum and gas platforms. The planned move towards a single authority would broaden the powers of the National Offshore Safety Regulatory Authority (NOPSA) in Commonwealth waters.

 

The suggestion was the key finding in the inquiry into PTTEP Australasia's Montara oil spill in 2009.

 

NOPSA’s regulatory scope would expand under the Commonwealth Government’s agenda to reform offshore petroleum regulation.

 

Further to Commonwealth Government legislative amendments, NOPSA has taken over responsibility for the regulation of well integrity. For more details on NOPSA’s expanded remit and proposed regulatory changes, visit nopsa.gov.au/regs.asp.