Beach Energy has announced its Dombey 3D Seismic Survey will now start in December, surveying an area covering 165 square kilometres to the west of Penola and is set to be completed in early 2022. 

Beach’s Regional Manager Jon Conti said a workforce of 50 specialist workers would take part in the survey activities, providing a local economic boost across the Christmas and New Year period while they utilised the services of local businesses such as catering and accommodation providers.  

“The low impact survey will be conducted under strict regulatory conditions, using special vibrating trucks to send soundwaves into the ground,” Mr Conti said.

“These soundwaves bounce back off different rock types underground, which are then detected by receivers back at the surface. Once the data in the receivers is collected, downloaded and processed, a three-dimensional image of the subsurface geology is produced, allowing engineers and geologists to target future drilling opportunities with greater precision.”

Mr Conti said natural gas remained “an important part of our everyday lives, so it is important to ensure there is local supply into the future”. 

“For many of us, natural gas delivers more than just our daily energy needs – it is a common ingredient in fertilisers, plastics, fabrics and pharmaceuticals,” he said. 

“It also helps to sustain jobs in farming and food production and the manufacturing of glass, steel, aluminium, cement, bricks and paper – some of these are industries that are critical to the South East – and natural gas supplies in Australia are facing a shortfall in the coming years. 

“Seismic surveys are a safe and proven way to identify future drilling opportunities to develop more locally sourced natural gas, which means less speculative drilling and lowering the local footprint of our industry. 

“As a locally operating company, we recognise the value of the pristine local environment and how much it means to everyone who lives and works in the South East, so we have designed this survey in a way that limits impacts to as low as possible.” 

Last year, Beach released two environmental reports outlining future seismic activities, both of which were approved by the South Australian Government following an extended period of community consultation. 

“We are always available to speak to anyone who has questions about our local activities – and the public is always welcome to visit our Church Street office to have a chat if they want to know more,” he said.