‘Scary’ spill fear fuels oil, gas backlash

Fishermen, conservationists and coastal communities are to fight oil and gas drilling in Australian waters, as one proponent’s oil spill modelling creates claims of potential ‘catastrophe’.

Tasmanian lobster fisherman Clive Perryman who is concerned about the impacts that proposed seismic testing for oil and gas in Bass Straight will have on fisheries. Picture: Peter Mathew

Fishermen, conservationists and coastal communities are preparing to fight oil and gas drilling and seismic testing in Australian ­waters as one proponent’s oil spill modelling creates claims of potential “catastrophe”.

US oil and gas giant ConocoPhillips will in October submit a plan to drill six offshore exploration wells in the ocean floor between Port Fairy and Cape Otway, Victoria, and also west of King Island, Tasmania.

Two firms, TGS and SLB, are seeking permission for what conservationists say is one of the world’s largest seismic test programs – blasting towards the sea floor with powerful airguns – in the same Otway Basin.

Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council chief executive Julian Harrington commended ConocoPhillips on its consultation but said maps showing potential spill spread were “very scary” and suggestive of “catastrophic” impacts.

Map of modelling showing the potential worst-case scenario spread of spill from gas wells ConocoPhillips plans to drill on the seafloor west of King Island. Source: ConocoPhillips

“We get told the likelihood (of a major spill from a well) is very low, but if it did happen, it would be a disaster,” Mr Harrington said.

“We don’t want a catastrophic event.

“Members present at a meeting on King Island with Conoco were not prepared to take that risk. The outcomes scare them and they don’t want their island impacted.”

ConocoPhillips’ own modelling of “loss of wellhead control” shows that in some scenarios a spill could impact all of Bass Strait, much of Victoria’s and Tasmania’s coastlines and travel as far north as Jervis Bay, NSW.

Mr Harrington said a major spill could devastate key fisheries including rock lobster, giant crab, abalone and ling.

Tasmanian rock lobster fisherman Clive Perryman said studies and past experience had shown seismic blasting, such as that planned by TGS-SLB, impacted fish stocks.

There was insufficient assessment of the cumulative impacts of repeated, overlapping testing by different companies, he said. “We all depend on oil and gas while we transition but we don’t want to cut corners or have any accidents,” Mr Perryman said. “And if something did happen, what compensation will be in place?”

The Australian Marine Conservation Society is demanding the plans be scrapped. “ConocoPhillip’s proposal includes the ability to do drilling in the Zeehan Marine Park, which you would think would be protected from such things but isn’t, and covers critical Southern Right Whale calving grounds, and Blue Whale feeding grounds,” said the society’s Louise Morris.

“Their map shows that if there was a wellhead blowout, as we’ve seen in northwest WA … the potential impacts are massive.”

Surfrider Foundation Australia plans film events to rally opposition. “Seismic surveys have significant impacts to both ecologically and commercially valuable species, including whales, crayfish and plankton,” said foundation campaign manager and marine scientist Annie Ford.

Locals from King Island to Apollo Bay are also gearing up for a fight. “Just because (ConocoPhillips) are going down for gas doesn’t mean they’re not going to hit oil and have accidents,” said Apollo Bay resident Lisa Deppeler, of the Otway Coastal Environment Action Network.

Surfer Torren Martyn catches a wave with dolphins in part of the Otway Basin subject to seismic testing plans. Picture: Sarip

ConocoPhillips said a major spill from a drilling well was “extremely unlikely”.

“There is an estimated 0.016 per cent chance,” a spokeswoman said. “Hydrocarbon reserves in the Otway Basin typically consist of gas condensate. If a loss of well control were to occur, modelling shows that the majority of the release condensate would evaporate during the first day.

“Only approximately 1 per cent of the condensate is considered persistent and would weather to a waxy substance.”

She said the potential impact mapping was based on multiple simulations and did not represent the extent of any single spill, while control measures would “further reduce the likelihood of a spill”.