Late last year the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) demanded changes to the company’s environment plan for the project, finding that it had “not yet meet the criteria for acceptance under the environment regulations”.

Now, BP has resubmitted a modified version of its plan.

A spokesperson for the company said it “expects and welcomes scrutiny by regulators and the community to make sure our work is safe and environmentally acceptable”.

The revised submission has angered environmentalists who fear a disaster similar to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 in the Great Australian Bight could spell catastrophe for local marine life, tourism and fishing industries.

Wilderness Society Australia director Peter Owen told InDaily the area was one of the most intricate marine wilderness areas in the world, and a significant whale sanctuary.

“Marine parks are not suitable places for oil fields,” Owen said.

“It’s the height of irresponsibility to be trying to expand the fossil fuel industry a this point in history”.

The BP spokesperson said the company “anticipates that NOPSEMA will now take time to assess the resubmitted environment plan and provide further feedback in due course, including potentially providing a further round of iteration”.

The company is likely to resubmit again, should NOPSEMA knock it back a second time.

“The regulatory assessment of Environment Plans is an iterative process,” the spokesperson said.