Norwegian company Equinor has decided to discontinue its exploration drilling plan in the Great Australian Bight, off South Australia. 

The company was granted an exploration licence as a partner in 2013 and took over as operator with a 100 per cent equity share in 2017 after BP withdrew from the process.

There has been widespread community opposition to the proposed drilling because of a perceived risk to the environment, tourism and fishing, with large demonstrations on south coast beaches.

Jone Stangeland, Equinor’s country manager for Australia says approval of its environment plan confirmed the company’s ability to safely operate in the Bight. 

“However, Equinor has decided to discontinue its plans to drill the Stromlo-1 exploration well, as the opportunity is not commercially competitive. 

“We hold an exploration permit offshore Western Australia and will maintain other ongoing interests and activities in Australia.”

Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie welcomed the decision and called for greater protection for the Great Australian Bight’s marine diversity.

“This is very exciting for my community of Mayo. We were really ground zero if this was to go ahead.

"We need national heritage listing for the Bight because the oil and gas is still there. If we do not have robust protections for this pristine environment it will be under constant threat from other companies seeking to drill there."

Her Centre Alliance colleague Senator Rex Patrick says there will be no economic loss from Equinor’s withdrawal as theirs would have been an off shore operation, using fly-in fly-out workers.

“There was very little in this for South Australia or indeed Australia.

“It only brought risk to our environment and our tourism and fisheries industries.”

Federal Resources Minister Keith Pitt says Equinor's decision was disappointing.

"“The Bight Basin remains one of Australia’s frontier basins and any proposals for new oil and gas fields in this area will be assessed fairly and independently."

The Centre Alliance press conference may be viewed on YouTube.