International companies are seeking approval from the Victorian Government to pursue a 3D seismic survey in the Otway Basin, despite outcry from environmental groups.
The survey was put forward by oilfield services company Schlumberger who are partnering with TGS, a provider for scientific data. The companies lodged an application last week for a permit that would allow them to do seismic blast testing over the span of Bonney Upwelling, to Portland in Victoria and Kangaroo island down near Adelaide, in order to map offshore oil and gas reserves.
The area that is being proposed is approximately 7.7 million hectares, making it one of the largest 3D seismic tests in history. During the tests, destructive blasts of up to 250 decibels are let off every 10 seconds for 24 hours a day, often for months on end.
They will be measuring the echoes with tubes in order to map offshore oil and gas reserves, and this can go on for weeks or months.
The blasts are known for killing marine life and displacing species from traditional migration, feeding and birthing routes.
Environmentalists and fishers have expressed alarm and are calling on the Australian and state governments to say no to the proposal.
Lisa Deppeler from Otway Climate Emergency Action Network (OCEAN) said the proposal amounts to senseless destruction of marine life.
“We need to take urgent action on the climate and biodiversity crisis, not continue to allow massive, speculative expansion of fossil fuel industries,” she said in a statement.
Earlier this year Gunditjmara Traditional Owners called for support from the community, making a Citizens’ Protection Declaration, a public declaration of opposition to the blast testing as a survey method for gas or oil production in their traditional waters.
Freja Leonard, a member of the Friends of the Earth Organisation, said the declaration will allow them to have more control over their native waters.
“Friends of the Earth Melbourne are calling on the state and federal resources and environment ministers to refuse any further permits for this most potentially damaging seismic blasting project, or any future oil or gas exploration within state and Commonwealth waters,” she said.
PHOTO: Offshore oil and gas production contributes to America’s Energy Future by Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement BSEE is available HERE and is used under a Creative Commons licence.
