PGS backing NW Shelf seismic acquisition protocol

Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway — PGS is supporting National Energy Resources Australia's (NERA) Collaborative Seismic Environmental Plan.

This is targeting long-term improvements in the way that seismic activities are planned offshore Australia’s North West Shelf, with consideration for commercial fishing activities.

In 2018 NERA established an industry consortium to develop a common framework for seismic exploration in the region, known as the CSEP (Commercial Fishing Industry Adjustment Protocol) project.

The proposed protocol will provide a standardized, evidence-based process to determine the monetary adjustment to offset the loss of catch, gear damage/loss and displacement of fishing activity in areas where fishing coincides with a seismic survey.

Other aims are a "Spatio Temporal" protocol to provide guidance regarding repetition of seismic activities within the CSEP area; agreeing a single approvals framework for seismic activities within the area; a consistent assessment of environmental features, potential impacts and management strategies for seismic activities within the area; and improved understanding of potential impacts of seismic activities over the region.

The proposed common environment plan framework would be valid for at least five years and should lead to consistent assessment of environmental impacts when applying for and conducting seismic acquisition activities in the CSEP project area.

This would provide increased certainty for both fishing and energy industries, PGS said.

10.10.2022