The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) has accepted Woodside’s Scarborough 4D B1 Marine Seismic Survey Environment Plan despite concerns.

Woodside will conduct a 4D baseline marine seismic survey (MSS) over the Scarborough and Jupiter field within Commonwealth waters, offshore Western Australia.

Also known as the ‘Burrup Hub gas project’, the data obtained will allow Woodside to assess gas reserves for its Burrup Hub and will serve as the first phase of the company’s broader project — Scarborough and Pluto Train 2.

Woodside’s proposed offshore development targets the commercialisation of the Scarborough and North Scarborough gas fields through subsea and surface infrastructures, wells and a gas trunkline spanning 430 kilometres.

The Scarborough gas project focuses on the export of LNG to overseas countries looking to transition from coal to natural gas.

CCWA Fossil Fuels Program Manager Anna Chapman said the decision to approve seismic blasting was ‘enormously disappointing’.

“This is an export-first, profit-driven fossil fuel proposal where both the gas and most of the profit will be sent overseas. West Australians have nothing to gain from Scarborough going ahead, but our state’s iconic and endangered species have so much to lose.

“The more we discover about the impacts of seismic blasting on marine life, the more it becomes clear that this is a highly invasive and distressing process for whales, dolphins, turtles and other creatures,” Chapman said.

The noise generated from seismic blasts can damage the hearing of whales, disrupting their breeding and feeding cycles.

According to the Statement of Reasons produced by NOPSEMA in acceptance of the project, the organisation recognises that Woodside’s Environment Plan did not demonstrate that the environmental risks would not be reduced to as low as reasonably practicable.

However, approval was granted on the grounds that Woodside would adopt certain control measures — including the implementation of whale detection platforms and shutting down operations if necessary.

On 1 August 2023, protestors and camera crews trespassed and engaged in protest activities at APPEA Chair and Woodside Energy CEO Meg O’Neill’s Perth home in City Beach.

APPEA Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said: “The industry respects the rights of protesters to demonstrate legally in public places, but the private homes and families of business leaders should clearly be out of bounds. This is a deplorable escalation of the intimidation and tactics used by activist groups to stifle informed public debate on the energy transition.”

Woodside’s seismic blasting activities is scheduled to commence 10 August 2023 and completed by 31 December 2023.