Session 17. Oral Presentation for: A decade of the offshore project proposal regime: challenges, change and insights

Presented on 19 May 2026: Session 17 The streamlined regulation of environmental management of offshore projects under the NOPSEMA EPBC Act Program has fundamentally reshaped environmental approvals for the offshore industry, with Offshore Project Proposals (OPPs) introduced to allow for public scrutiny of offshore projects early in the lifecycle. Since the first OPP in 2016, practitioners have navigated persistent challenges, including defining acceptable levels and environmental performance outcomes through the project-specific application of the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development; increasing expectations for transparency in alternatives analysis; limitations in cumulative impact assessments over multidecade project lifecycle; mirroring legislative requirements for decision-making under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 within the OPP; managing potential changes in project activities over the life of the project to be consistent with the OPP and the observed lower level of public scrutiny, as evidenced by fewer public comment submissions. Drawing on a decade of practice, this paper examines how industry and regulators have responded to these challenges, the evolution of assessment approaches and the implications for future offshore energy developments. To access the Oral Presentation click ‘Supplementary data’ below. To read the full paper click here