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Conservationists attack Shell over oil drill plans

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 08/03/2011

Reporter: Minsi Chung

Petroleum giant Shell plans to drill for oil 50 kilometres from the national heritage listed Ningaloo Reef.

Transcript

ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: Petroleum giant Shell is on a collision course with conservationists over a plan to drill for oil 50 kilometres from Ningaloo Reef, a national heritage listed area.

The industry says it’s safe, but critics argue it puts wildlife and irreplaceable coral reefs at serious risk.

Minsi Chung reports from Perth.

MINSI CHUNG, REPORTER: Ningaloo Reef is recognised as one of the state’s major tourism drawcards and is on the waiting list for world heritage status. Now Shell wants federal environmental approval to drill an exploration well. If it gets the go ahead, work could start as early as September.

With the Montara well, fire and oil spill still fresh in the public mind, conservationists are gearing up for a fight.

PAUL GAMBLIN, WWF: Some areas like this need to be fully protected and the Australian Government needs to get serious about protecting our magnificent marine environment.

MINSI CHUNG: Shell says it’s committed to protecting the area and it has strict environmental management plans in place. The petroleum industry is also confident it can meet environmental standards.

MARK MCCALLUM, APPEA DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE: The fact is the industry has operated in this region for over 40 years and we’ve had actively-producing facilities that have not damaged the values of Ningaloo.

MINSI CHUNG: But the environmental movement says a decision on Shell’s application should wait until a final report into the Montara incident is released.

PAUL GAMBLIN: The Federal Government should make sure that the system of regulations, the laws that are apply to oil and gas activities, are fixed, are in place, based on the Montara experience.

MINSI CHUNG: The State Government will also have a say in whether drilling can go ahead.

KIM HAMES, ACTING PREMIER: We want to make sure that Ningaloo Reef as a system is protected and we have concerns because of the oil spills that we’ve seen in parts of the world.

MINSI CHUNG: It’s not clear when the Federal Government will make a decision on the Shell application.

Minsi Chung, Lasteline.

SOURCE

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