Conservation group Sea Shepherd is sending a vessel to South Australia to join the campaign against proposed drilling in the Great Australian Bight.

Oil giant BP is proposing to drill four exploration wells up to 2.5 kilometres deep off South Australia's west coast, about 400 kilometres west of Port Lincoln.

Sea Shepherd managing director Jeff Hansen said its vessel, the Steve Irwin, was on its way from Melbourne to South Australian waters, where it would sail around the region documenting the environment and attempting to raise awareness about BP's plans.

"We cannot risk such a beautiful place when our oceans are in deep trouble globally, we need to protect these last remaining wilderness areas for our kids and their kids," Mr Hansen said.

He said the area had the world's largest southern right whale nursery and raising awareness was building on the Sea Shepherd's work protecting whales in Antarctica.

"Our mission is to showcase the rich beauty and diversity of life in the Bight that is all under threat if BP is allowed to drill for oil in waters deeper, rougher and more remote than the Gulf of Mexico," he said.

"We aim to film and document and get those images and footage around the world to showcase what's at threat and what we would lose if BP is allowed to drill for oil there and has a spill of even a conservative one compared to that in the Gulf of Mexico."

In 2010, 11 people died when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank off the coast of Louisiana with about 4.9 million barrels of oil escaping.

The Steve Irwin, the vessel named in honour of the Australian conservationist, will stop in Victor Harbor before making its way into the Bight.

It will stop in Port Adelaide on August 19 where the public will be able to board the vessel for tours.

Project already creating jobs, lobby group says

According to a BP fact sheet published at the end of July, BP and Statoil plan to commence petroleum exploration drilling from the fourth quarter of 2016 depending on regulatory approvals.

The company expects to submit a new environment plan for the project to National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) for assessment this month.

Matthew Doman, the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association's (APPEA) South Australian director, said the oil and gas exploration work had already created jobs and infrastructure in SA.

"The Ceduna Airport is being upgraded to handle helicopter flights and Port Adelaide is being developed to include a dedicated oil and gas marine supply base," he said.

The group said more than 1,000 local businesses had shown interest in BP's plan by registering to keep up to date of procurement opportunities.

Mr Doman described the Sea Shepherd crew as "sail in, sail out protesters" and said their claims should not be accepted at face value.

"We encourage people to form their own views based on impartial scientific evidence, not the scare campaigns adopted by some environmental groups," he said.