Great Australian Bight: Norwegian energy company Equinor given environmental approval to drill for oil

Federal offshore petroleum regulator announces approval for Equinor as environmental groups signal likely legal challenge

The Norwegian energy giant Equinor has been granted environment approval for its controversial bid to drill to explore for oil in the Great Australian Bight.

The decision, announced by the federal offshore petroleum regulator on Wednesday, means Equinor has cleared the second, and most significant, of four regulatory hurdles it needs to pass before it can start drilling.