Seismic blasting for gas project threatens whales off Australia’s coast, activists say

 For decades, Woodside has had a robust approach to identifying and managing potential environmental impacts and risks associated with o

ur offshore activities.

Advancing Whale Research in Australia

For more than 30 years, we have invested in funding research into whale seasonality, distribution, and abundance in Western Australian waters. Our total investment in whale research, alongside our joint venture partners, is approximately A$30 million, making Woodside one of the largest funders of whale research in Australia.

Based on a wealth of scientific studies, this collective knowledge has driven Woodside’s approach to management and mitigation measures to avoid or minimise any impacts on individual whales and the broader recovery of whale populati

ons in Australia. The funded research has resulted in over 20 papers in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, supporting industry, state governments and the Commonwealth government in reducing potential threats, supporting conservation management, and tracking the recovery of whale populations.

More recently, our research into the pygmy blue whale was recognised at the annual Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association Conference where Woodside received the Environment Project Excellence Award for “scientific innovation and collaboration enabling effective management of pygmy blue whales in Australia’s northwest”.