Environmentalists are warning that oil drilling in the Great Australian Bight could put entire ecosystems at risk, 80 to 85 per cent of species in the area are endemic and the remote area is mainly untouched by humans.
The Norwegian company Statoil is seeking approval to conduct exploratory oil drilling and currently has two permits from BP.
If Statoil’s plan is approved exploratory drilling could begin 200 kilometres off the South Australian coast by the end of next year.