Mining ‘rush’ fear

Alex de Vos
A high-tech map revealing the region’s hidden offshore oil and mineral deposits has alarmed environmentalists.
The Independent has discovered that Federal Government will send a specially-equipped, low-flying aircraft over the coastline and the ocean off the Surf Coast to produce a magnetic data map. Resource companies will use the map to search for mining opportunities.
The mapping follows a story in the paper last week about Trident Energy’s seismic testing in the hunt for oil off the Surf Coast.
Geelong Environment Council’s Joan Lindros said she was appalled at the amount of offshore exploration activity in the region.
Ms Lindros was worried about the environmental impacts if explorers found worthwhile mining sites.
“History has shown that companies are only too ready to barge ahead and have later found out that what they’ve done is extremely harmful,” she said.
Ms Lindros was particularly concerned about the seismic tests.
“It’s fairly certain that seismic testing is dangerous,” she said.
“Animals and their migration patterns can be disturbed – it’s a major concern.”
Geoscience Australia’s Murray Richardson said the two-dimensional map would be used for mostly mineral investigation.
“The Australian Government has a policy to encourage petroleum exploration,” Mr Richardson said.
“The map will show what areas are potential targets for oil and gas.”
Mr Richardson said the area had been “poorly” covered in the past.
“It hasn’t been flown over with modern instruments at all but the Otway basin has historically had successful explorations,” he said.
“It (the map) will support seismic data for companies (like Trident Energy) to conduct further investigations. Together they give a good indication (of mineral deposits).”
In 2005 the Independent revealed federal and state governments had given Trident Energy approval to search a 4630-square-kilometre area called the Torquay sub-basin.
The permit area runs to within sight of the coastline 5.5 kilometres offshore from Cape Otway along the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula to Cape Schank on the Mornington Peninsula.
Trident Energy’s Chris Haslam could not rule out injury to marine animals during the seismic testing.
“The effects of human-made sound in the marine environment is a concern for marine life, particularly whales and dolphins,” Mr Haslam said.
“As the effects of seismic surveying on whales are not fully understood, precautionary mitigation measures aimed at preventing injury…will be applied.”