After years of unwavering community opposition, the largest ever proposed seismic blasting project has been abandoned.

 

The Australian seismic surveying company TGS, earlier today in an email to ‘relevant persons’, cited ‘competing global priorities’ as the reason for not proceeding with the project, which was set to blast 31,500 square kilometres of ocean in the Otway Basin off the coast of Victoria.

The size of the blasting area was repeatedly reduced over the last two years by TGS, from 71,500 square kilometres in 2022, to 45,000 square kilometres in 2023, down to 31,500 square kilometres in 2024, before being completely called off. Earlier this year TGS’s permit to blast was put on hold by the regulatory body NOPSEMA over reports of a lack of community consultation on the project.

 

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The red area was the proposed blast zone

 

The announcement comes after huge community pressure all along the Victorian and Tasmanian coastline, with over 1,000 people paddling out on Wadawurrung Country in Torquay earlier this year, to oppose the project.

Seismic blasting, the initial stage of oil and gas exploration, involves shooting high-pressure air blasts from the surface into the seafloor to locate oil and gas deposits. This process is known to harm a wide range of marine life, from tiny zooplankton to the majestic Southern Right whale.  

 

 

The Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson says, ‘This win belongs to all the people who have rallied hard for years to protect marine ecosystems and avoid irreversible changes to the Earth’s climate…This is a historic moment. Community pressure works!’.

Several seismic blasting projects under consideration by NOPSEMA, the federal regulator, are still awaiting approval. After celebrating this well-deserved win, community groups will continue to fight all seismic blasting projects in Southern Sea Country.

‘This is a siren call to all fossil fuel companies eyeing off our oceans: your time is up’, said Senator Whish-Wilson.

 

Photos by @jackjbrookes