Towed Video deployments for the Barossa Environmental Baseline Study 2015, Western Australia (ConocoPhillips)

Towed video surveys were carried out across five principle locations of regional interest, including Evans, Tassie and Blackwood Shoals, the closest shoals to the Barossa field, as well as two mid-shelf seabed locations adjacent to Goodrich Bank and Cape Helvetius. In total, 113 towed video transects and 2246 downward facing digital still images were collected at depths of between 11 and 100 metres. The towed platform was deployed over the stern of the vessel, maintained within a metre of the seabed and towed at 1-2 knots (1.5 nominal) until a minimum distance of 1.5 km was covered in a continuous line transect. On the vessel, a computer-based towed video program managed collation of position, depth, and operator-derived habitat classification data, which was captured in real time as an operator interpreted the live video feed, and then archived for subsequent spatial analysis.

The seabed biodiversity surveys were undertaken by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in collaboration with ConocoPhillips as part of the Barossa field environmental baseline and marine studies program. The surveys were undertaken between 13 September and 1 October 2015, on the RV Solander. They covered five principal locations of regional interest, including Evans, Tassie and Blackwood Shoals, the closest shoals to the Barossa field, as well as two mid-shelf seabed locations adjacent to Goodrich Bank and Cape Helvetius, relevant to a potential gas export pipeline route.