Greenpeace vows to fight Woodside’s seismic survey plans off coast of Pilbara for Burrup Hub project

Environmental group Greenpeace Australia Pacific has vowed to escalate pressure to stop Woodside Energy from conducting controversial seismic surveying in Australia’s North West following the approval by the offshore regulator. Earlier this month, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) approved Woodside’s plans to conduct seismic surveying for up to 80 days off the Pilbara coast for its Burrup Hub project. The technique involves using powerful soundwaves emitted from underwater airguns towards the seabed to search for oil and gas reserves beneath the ocean floor. Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner Sophie McNeill vowed the environmental organisation will use any means possible to stop the development, including the use of legal avenues. “Woodside needs to be on notice that the West Australian community is not going to just sit back and watch as seismic blasting goes ahead in this incredible place where endangered whales gather,” she said. “I think Woodside has shown that it disregards the wishes of Western Australians who were so concerned about not just nature and endangered wildlife, but about the worsening climate emergency. “We know the clear expert advice is no new fossil fuel projects.” Ms McNeill voiced her concerns about the effects of seismic surveying on marine life within the operational area, particularly the endangered pygmy whale species that migrate north along the WA coast. “We just don’t think there is any way for this practice to be done in a safe way,” she said. “It’s incredibly devastating.” In light of the mass beaching of whales at Cheynes Beach in Albany last month, Ms McNeill highlighted the consequences on whales when there are changes to their environment. “Woodside can expect backlash from the community because Western Australians have just seen the absolute horror of what happens to whales when something goes wrong,” she said. “I don’t think people want to just sit back and let this happen to these precious, precious environments.” In a statement published by NOPSEMA outlining the reasoning for its approval for Woodside’s plans, the regulator was satisfied with the organisation’s environmental plan. The document states Woodside offered solutions to potential risks involved with the practice in their operational area. However, NOPSEMA also acknowledged there are 27 threatened species and 43 migratory species “that may be affected by the activity”, and Woodside’s environmental plan did not demonstrate the impact on threatened and migratory whales would be reduced to as low as reasonably practicable. As a result, Woodside is required to have a spotter vessel with two trained and experienced marine fauna observers travelling 5km ahead of the seismic survey vessel. Two operators trained and experienced in passive acoustic monitoring will also be required to keep surveillance over a 24-hour basis to trigger shutdowns if any sperm and beaked whales were spotted within 2km of the vessel. “If NOPSEMA is saying they need those observers, and you have to shut down the operations if whales come near you, what does that say about the impact it has on those animals?” Ms McNeill said. “I think it just strengthens what we’re so worried about.”