http://www.independent-media.tv/item.cfm?fmedia_id=10211&fcategory_desc=Under%20ReportedDecember 28, 2004
Earthquake: Coincidence or a Corporate Oil Tragedy? - Independent Media TV - Article - 2004-12-28
The Oil industry has been doing a great deal of seismic tests near Tasmania, Australia and there have been whale beachings, and recent earthquakes in the region. There was a magnitude 8.1 earthquake near Tasmania, Australia 2 days before the 9.0 Earthquake in Indonesia. Coincidently, the Australian tectonic plate intersects with the Indian tectonic plate at the exact point of the 9.0 earthquake which has killed tens of thousands of people.
(more)
Seismic Testing/Massive Beachings...very Disturbing
http://www.acfonline.org.au/asp/pages/document.asp?IdDoc=58104 November 2001
SEISMIC TESTING AT SEA
Ocean based seismic testing is not the innocuous tapping on the ocean floor that many in government and the oil industry would like us to believe. It is extremely loud. Sound is communication, navigation, echo location, food finder and defence system for many marine creatures. Any damage could be fatal. Despite this, seismic testing is virtually unregulated.
HOW DOES SEISMIC TESTING WORK ?
The test uses 'air guns' to fire compressed air at the ocean floor. This high energy 'pulse' (explosion) sends shock waves through the water and the rock layers beneath the ocean floor. These are then reflected from different layers, at various intervals, back through the rock and water; to be recorded in hydrophones towed behind the vessel. These recordings are then mapped, giving a picture of what geology lies beneath the vessel, commonly at depths of 10 Km1.
Seismic testing does not actually show whether oil or gas exists in a place. It identifies the right geological formation where oil or gas could be. Only test drilling reveals the presence of oil or gas.
* Underwater 'air guns' operate at 2000 psi expelling a volume of air of 4000cui2.
* Shots are fired every few seconds, from 10 metres below the surface3, 24 hours a day, weather permitting.
* At the source, pulses are between 220 - 240 decibels (dB). 4
* Sound levels reduce to 170 - 180 dB within 1Km of the source and approximately 150 dB within 10 Km. 5
* A Jet engine close up - 160 dB, screaming into a microphone - 140 dB, Human pain threshold - 130dB.
* Several kilometres of Hydrophone arrays on multiple cables, used to pick returning sound pulses, are towed behind the seismic vessel.6
WHALES AND SEISMIC
* "Seismic operations will be regarded as being likely to have a significant impact on a cetacean species… where the seismic operation is to be carried out in, or within 20 kilometers of, a feeding, breeding or resting area… and in or near migratory paths" according to Environment Australia guidelines. 7
* "Evidence to date indicates that sounds over approximately 140dB in feeding, breeding and resting areas may be considered likely to significantly disturb whales" - Environment Australia guidelines. 8
* Sounds of over 150 dB may significantly disturb migrating whales 9
* Sperm whales killed in the Bahamas and Greece had had their auditory (hearing) faculties 'blown up', after coming into contact with a sonar blast (akin to a seismic shot) from naval vessels. 10
* Environment Australia's guidelines recommend that seismic testing only need to be suspended when whales are seen within 3 Km of the testing vessel11. This is clearly insufficient when considering the information above and is not consistent with the application of the precautionary approach as required in the EPBC Act.
FISH
* Shockwaves reverberating through the water, destroy fish bladders, harm nearby larvae, and disrupt traditional migratory paths of marine mammals and fish 12
* Norwegian study sponsored by the petroleum industry revealed that catch rates of Haddock and Cod are reduced by at least 50% during and after seismic testing. Similar figures were recorded for redfish off California 13
* Environment Australia has no guidelines regarding the conduct of seismic testing and the protection of marine biodiversity.
CONCLUSION
Given its very intrusive and deafening nature, if seismic testing were conducted on land it would attract considerable attention from planning bodies and be subject to strict regulatory controls.
At sea, this work is only guided by departmental policy guidelines (not regulations) in spite of emerging evidence that it is considerably more damaging to marine biodiversity than previously thought. When oil and gas exploration companies agree to meet the guidelines, seismic testing avoids most Commonwealth environmental controls and assessment procedures.
WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN?
* An immediate moratorium on all current testing until its impact on marine biodiversity can be more accurately assessed.
* Seismic testing be listed as a designated controlled action under s.25A of the EPBC Act.
* Mandatory, enforceable regulatory controls using scientifically based standards and benchmarks prioritising protection of biodiversity must replace policy guidelines and ministerial discretion.
* Introduction of general oceans legislation requiring the integration of approval procedures of different government bodies for all ocean uses, implementing ecosystem based management, under the direction of a statutory Oceans Authority.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Make the above happen, call your local member and write, call or fax the Environment Minister. Environment Minister, Parliament House, Canberra 2600 PH: 02 6277 7640 FAX: 02 6273 6101
Write to oil companies expressing your disapproval of these testing programs.
References
1. Seismic surveys and humpback whales (March 1997) e+p magazine, Australian Petroleum Production &Exploration Association publication, Australia, p1
2. ibid
3. Referral Form 2001/140 - EPBC, Environment Australia by Esso Australia Pty Ltd
4. ibid
5. Referral Form 2001/107 - EPBC, Environment Australia by Strike Oil
6. Referral Form 2001/140 - EPBC, Environment Australia by Esso Australia Pty Ltd
7. Guidelines on the Application of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to interactions between offshore seismic operations and larger cetaceans, Environment Australia, 2001, p2 (noting there are no such guidelines for finfish and these are not regulated standards)
8. id at p5
9. ibid
10. Ecosystem: Low Frequency Active Sonar:
http://www.eces.org/ec/ecosystems/ifasonar.shtml11. id at Attachment 6
12. Living Oceans Society - Oil and Gas: http:www.livingoceans.org/oilseismic.htm
13. ibid
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For more information on this article please contact:
Serge Killingbeck - Marine Campaign Coordinator