Health and safety regulation are only one aspect of regulation that an offshore petroleum facility must comply with. Other regulations cover, for example, marine, environmental, security and air and water transport. In practice, NOPSA needs to cooperate with other regulating organisations in order to manage the boundaries and interfaces.

One of the key finding of the Independent Review Team (refer to history of NOPSA) was the need to reduce the confusing and overlapping legislation that applied to offshore facilities. The State/NT/Commonwealth Council of Ministers (MCMPR) that recommended the formation of NOPSA were mindful of this concern and noted in its communiqué that effective and efficient coordination be established between the safety authority and other regulatory agencies.

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 requires NOPSA to cooperate with:

other Commonwealth agencies having functions relating to offshore petroleum operations;
State or Northern Territory agencies having functions relating to offshore petroleum operations; and
The Designated Authorities (DAs) of the States and the Northern Territory.

The following is a list of agencies with which NOPSA has an agreed MOU:

Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme Board
Australian Maritime Safety Authority
Australian Transport Safety Bureau
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
Commonwealth Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism
Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services - Office of Transport Security
EnergySafe Victoria
Geoscience Australia
Northern Territory Department of Regional Development, Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources
Primary Industry and Resources South Australia
Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines
Radiological Council of Western Australia
Seafarers Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority (Seacare)
Tasmanian Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources
Autoridade Nacional do Petroleo
Victorian Department of Primary Industry
Western Australian Department of Consumer and Employment Protection
Western Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum
WorkCover Victoria

Please refer to ‘related files’ to view a copy of each MOU.

NOPSA is in the process of negotiating Memoranda of Understanding with a number of other organisations at both State and Commonwealth level.

NOPSA has developed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Ballarat, covering areas of cooperation which include accreditation of training within NOPSA's Competency Management programme for staff.

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National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority

Related files

Memoranda of Understanding