The uproar over global geoscience technology services company CGG Services’ proposed seismic survey off the coast between Gqeberha and Plettenberg Bay has continued unabated.
A collective of indigenous leaders, fishermen, coastal environmental communities and the youth gathered in front of Bayworld at the weekend to raise objections to the proposed study.
The “speculative seismic survey” will cover an area of up to 9,000km², in a 12,750km² area of interest, located in water depths of 200m to beyond 4,000m, and ranging between 45km and 120km from the coast.
The French petroleum company completed its basic assessment to explore the seabed in April, appointing SLR to manage public participation meetings.
In a notice issued by SLR, CGG said the objectives of the meeting were to provide an overview of the project proposal and findings of the basic assessment process.
It further noted the intention to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to comment.
In a concerted response to the developments, a concerned collective expressed dismay at the intention to locate potential oil and gas deposits in the rock formations of the ocean bed.
“The survey involves a ship carrying 18 airguns and hydrophone receivers, blasting sonic booms into the seabed every 5-20 seconds, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” the collective said in a statement.
According to the collective, the blasts, carrying a range of between 220 and 250 decibels, would last up to five months.
“We are deeply concerned about the power of the sound each airgun produces, which according to the scientific journal, Nature, is louder than a Saturn V rocket launch.
“We also note the survey area covers the Port Elizabeth corals marine protected area, a significant portion of the endangered kingklip corals and kingklip spawning grounds.”
Noting the Agulhas current overlapped with the survey area, the collective of the Eastern Cape environmental forum, Eastern Cape environmental network, Eastern Cape Khoisan fishing co-operative and Chariguriqua tribe, Elinye fishing co-operative, Ikasi Lam and Kwazakhele development agency, among others, said the timing of the survey coincided with several significant ocean life events.
These included the sardine run, one of the greatest fish migrations, the migration of turtles and their hatchlings and kingklip spawning along the South and Eastern Cape coastline.
“We note that the purpose of the survey is speculative. CGG intends to sell the data from the survey,” the collective said.
“Large potential beneficiaries of this survey are multinational oil and gas companies, which already hold exploration rights in the area and have applied for production rights in Block 11B and 12B, part of which corresponds with the survey area.
“We understand this means that, ultimately, this survey could further the use of fossil fuels as a source of energy in SA and elsewhere globally.”
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