Petroleum industry, activists at loggerheads

The petroleum industry has lashed out at a group of activists fighting to stop all oil and gas projects in the region.

Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association WA chief operating officer Stedman Ellis declared the activists threatened jobs and economic growth.

This comes after environmental groups, including the Conservation Council and No Fracking in SW WA, stepped up their campaign against oil and gas.

Sydney-based company Bunbury Energy wants to explore a swathe of land in Bunbury, Dardanup, Capel and Donnybrook for underground oil and gas but reportedly ruled out using fracking to mine the resource.

Mr Ellis said people should be wary about "supporting a campaign that aims to undermine jobs and economic development".

"The State Government has confirmed that current exploration activities in the South West do not include fracking," he said.

"But activists say they intend to oppose all oil and gas projects anyway.

"Their anti-jobs, anti-development agenda has been exposed.

"Their anti-fracking rhetoric has no basis in science. It has always been about scaring people. Their real agenda - stopping all natural gas development - would be a disaster for WA."

But No Fracking in SW WA spokeswoman Carly Stone rejected the criticism.

"Our group, made up of people from all across the South West, know that our region is not the place for invasive gas fields," she said.

"The industry is trying to paint us as extremists, when in reality we are just everyday people trying to protect our local community and environment.

"We are committed to protecting our land and water from gas mining because the South West is a place for farming, tourism and a healthy environment.

"None of those things are compatible with industrial gas fields."