Seismic testing applications in planned oil, gas drilling sites off Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, Eyre Peninsula whale habitats

OIL exploration in the Great Australian Bight has made a dramatic entry into the state election campaign, with plans for seismic testing for oil and gas moving within 90km of Kangaroo Island, in the knife-edge seat of Mawson.

• Chevron donates to Labor, Liberal as it pushes Bight drilling
• Norway-based company plans Bight drilling in 2019
• Holdfast Bay joins fight against oil, gas exploration
• BP pulls plug on $1.4b Bight drilling plan

OIL exploration in the Great Australian Bight has made a dramatic entry into the state election campaign, with plans for seismic testing for oil and gas moving within 90km of Kangaroo Island, in the knife-edge seat of Mawson.

Backed by the State Government, and given in principle support by the Liberals, two Norwegian companies this week have lodged their latest plans with the independent national umpire for approval to test in a large area, the boundaries of which are 51km from land on Eyre Peninsula, 90km west of Kangaroo Island and 80km south-southwest of Port Lincoln.

Approval by the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority would mean the closest testing to land since the prospecting began in 2014.

Greens Senator for SA Sarah Hanson-Young said political parties must now declare where they stood on the issue, and how they would deal with the problem after the State Election on Saturday.

“Seismic testing is the first step to ruining one of the most unique marine environments in the world, right here on our doorstep,’’ she said.

“As South Australians it’s up to us to protect this precious place. Kangaroo Island is the jewel in our crown and anything that puts it at risk must be stopped.

“Whoever becomes the Premier next week needs to urgently intervene in all facets of oil and gas drilling in The Bight, including further seismic testing.’’

The seismic testing involves sound blasting at 260 decibels every 10 seconds from behind a survey ship to determine what lies under The Bight floor. The testing can injure or kill whales if carried out too close to them.

The testing applications bring the controversy within range of a key state election battleground.

The sound is created by a large bubble of air which collapses inward. On land the noise would be the equivalent of a loud explosion, but sound does not travel as efficiently under water as it does through air.

Senator Hanson-Young said scientific mapping showed the 30,100 square kilometre test area would be subjected to testing for three months in the direct migratory path of southern Bluefin tuna and various whale species including southern right whale and sperm whale.

Kangaroo Island is a significant part of the marginal seat of Mawson, held by Tourism Minister Leon Bignell, who Advertiser polling shows is deadlocked on 50 per cent of the two-party preferred vote with Liberal candidate Andy Gilfillan.

Kangaroo Island Mayor Peter Clements, who has campaigned against the testing on the grounds that oil rigs in The Bight could have a disastrous effect on wildlife, urged the major political parties to support the Greens and block the exploration.

“I don’t know of anyone who supports seismic testing in The Bight so if anyone wants to jump on this with the Greens it would have a big impact on the vote on KI,’’ he said.

Opposition spokesman for Energy and Mining, Dan van Holst Pellekaan said: “Seismic testing allows us to gain an insight into what resources may exist, but make no mistake under a Liberal Government no drilling will be permitted in The Bight unless it meets the strictest environmental protection standards”.

SA Best, which is mounting a strong challenge in Mawson with candidate Hazel Wainwright, said it was yet to be “unequivocally demonstrated” that drilling would not harm the environment.

“SA Best is opposed to any avenue of seismic testing that sees the prospect of ultimately drilling in the Great Australian Bight,’’ a spokeswoman said.

A previous enthusiastic backer of oil drilling in The Bight, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis, would say yesterday only that the matter would be decided by the independent national regulator NOPSEMA.

“Ultimately, with all mineral resource exploration we need to rely on the expert advice of the regulators to determine what projects are environmentally safe, and which aren’t,’’ he said.