SLB – Schlumberger, has been conducting seismic blasting surveys in the oceans off southeast Australia, and they are planning to do more.
SLB has partnered with a data analytics company called TGS and they are proposing to do seismic blasting for oil and gas, in one of the largest seismic explorations ever proposed in our oceans, including over marine parks.(1)
SLB are being investigated for breaching environmental conditions from previous seismic blasting(2) over critical blue whale habitat and sensitive marine areas of the Bonney Upwelling, which stretches from Portland, Victoria, toward Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
This new seismic blasting proposal is one of the largest ever planned, spanning 55,000 square kilometers in the ocean between Tasmania, and Victoria known as the Otways Basin. They plan to do seismic blasting over areas of the Zeehan Marine Park off the north west coast of Tasmania and King Island.
Research has shown the harm caused by seismic blasting on our oceans and marine life is serious and potentially fatal. The areas TGS/SLB wants to conduct seismic blasting in are Biologically Important Areas, critical habitat, foraging and resting areas for threatened species including the southern right whale, blue whale, pygmy blue whale and Australian sea lion.
The companies have applied to be able to do this through a permit system called a Special Prospecting Authority (SPA) that side steps all the usual regulatory processes businesses have to go through. The site also covers areas that have been surveyed using seismic blasting in the last 5–10 years. If allowed to go ahead, this area of our oceans and the marine life that live there, will be repeatedly impacted by seismic blasting from late 2023 through to 2027.
We need to turn the tide on harmful offshore oil and gas exploration processes like this one proposed by SLB and TGS, that damage our marine environment and precious wildlife.
Listen to radio: ‘Communities say NO but seismic blasting in the Otway Basin one step closer
Sources:
- https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/environment/2023/06/10/seismic-blasting-whistleblower-speaks#hrd
- https://themarketherald.com.au/billion-dollar-offshore-driller-under-criminal-investigation-sneaks-into-new-australian-offshore-project-ocean-2023-05-05/