Emerging long term effects:

Transcription

1 Emerging long term effects: 14 years of Exxon Valdez oil spill studies documents delayed, chronic and indirect effects of marine oil pollution (Peterson et. al SCIENCE 302, p. 2084)

2 Seabirds Thick-billed murre King eider Arctic tern Marine mammals Walrus Bowhead whale Narwhale White whale Polar bear

3 Analysis, assessment and mitigation Probability of an oil slick in time and space in the assessment area spill probability spill trajectory statistical analysis Bird distribution and abundance (density) in the assessment area seabird at sea surveys coastal surveys (moulting areas) colony surveys Risk of bird oilcontact Risk of bird oil contact individual risk (general sea surface - contact) general sea surface contact population risk (occurrence in occurrence in concentrations concentrations) General status and population dynamics delineation size trend fecundity hunting bag "bottlenecks" food and other factors Potential bird mortality Potential population effect Identification of important areas to: avoid oil activities in sensitive areas and periods priority protection in oil spill contingency plans Population supportive measures like: reduced hunting pressure reduced chronic spill mortality reduced human disturbance

4 Mitigation includes : Dialogue Ecosystem management

5 Mitigation Geodatabases with spatial data GIS analysis and data integration

6 Mitigation Oil spill sensitivity mapping

7 Mitigation Oil spill sensitivity mapping

8 Further studies A ship-based study of the ecology of the marginal ice zone in the central southern Baffin Bay including feeding ecology of thick-billed murres and little auks during the autumn migration More than 100 mill. birds migrate through Baffin Bay in early autumn presumably to a large extent feeding on the ice associated fauna in the Labrador Current. An oil spill could be driven to this ice edge by the wind and could here impact the ecosystem associated to the ice, as well as the large number of swimming birds. More knowledge of seabird distribution and ecological importance and linkages to ice associated fauna is needed. A study including cooperation with Canada on satellite tracking of thick-billed murres, aerial surveys and a biological oceanographic cruise with a research vessel is proposed.

9 Further studies A study of the thick-billed murres autumn migration routes through southern Baffin Bay by satellite tracking Millions of thick-billed murre migrate through southern Baffin Bay in autumn from the large important colonies in northern Baffin Bay and adjacent waters. Migration routes and offshore key foraging areas during the autumn migration is yet unknown. A large part of this migration is a swimming migration while the birds moult their flight feathers and the birds are extremely vulnerable to oil pollution in this season.

10 Further studies A study of bottom fauna and its linkages to higher trophic levels at the west coast of Disko Island and the shallow areas at Store Hellefiskebanke and the adjacent coasts Important concentrations of walrus, king eider and common eider feed on this bottom fauna, and along the coast there are spawning grounds for lumpsucker and capelin. If oil from an oil spill settles in the intertidal zone or in shallow water the impact can be substantial and it is also at the coasts that there is a risk of embedding of oil which slowly leaks causing a more chronic pollution situation, which can also affect higher trophic levels

11 Preliminary conclusions The Southeastern Baffin Bay (The Disko-Nuussuaq region) contains ecosystems and species, which are more sensitive to disturbances and pollution than the areas, which have been opened to hydrocarbon exploration further south in West Greenland. The occurrence of icebergs and of drifting sea ice potentially increases the overall environmental risk High international standards related to environmental protection as practiced in e.g. the Barents Sea will be implemented in this region to mitigate the environmental risk.

12 Guidelines for preparing an Environmental Impact Assessment for hydrocarbon activities Offshore Greenland Anders Mosbech Senior Research Biologist, PhD National Environmental Research Institute Department of Arctic Environment Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum Government of Greenland

13 Main requirements of a company EIA Must cover the entire region that might be affected Must cover trans-boundary aspects, including the impacts of oil pollution on neighbouring countries Shall include the full lifecycle of activities: Exploration, field development, production, transport and decommissioning Must be updated and further developed when needed, e.g. when going from exploration to production phase, or if there is a change in the plans presented in the EIA Best Available Technology (BAT) must be used in order to minimize environmental impacts The initial EIA related primarily to exploratory drilling shall focus on this activity, but must include assessment of scenarios of possible activities related to production, transport and decommissioning The EIA will be made available as a public document

14 Guidelines for Preparing an Environmental Impact Assessment Outline of EIA report Introduction Environmental setting Physical characteristics of the proposed activity Impact analysis Environmental mitigation and monitoring Further studies

15 Environmental setting Climate: Air temperature, wind, waves, visibility Bathymetry Ice conditions: Sea ice and icebergs, concentrations, thickness/draft/mass, drift speed, iceberg scour Oceanography: Water temperature, salinity, currents, water masses The biological environment and the ecosystem: The benthic and pelagic communities, commercially important fish and invertebrate species, marine birds and marine mammals A summary description of threatened species and species of concern A summary description of important habitats and/or areas of particular ecological importance, e.g. upwelling areas, ice edge communities and polynyas A summary description of Valued Ecosystem Components (VECs) Baseline chemistry (hydrocarbons, heavy metals a.o.) Existing resource use (fishing, hunting, tourism)

16 Physical characteristics of the proposed activity A description of proposed activities: purpose, location, duration and intensity, including drilling platforms, ships, pipelines, loading facilities, port facilities etc. Energy requirements Use of chemicals: Environmental testing and selection for approval Waste handling: Discharge of drill cuttings into the sea requires approval; amount of produced water to be disposed should be minimized (e.g. by re-injection). All other waste must be brought to shore for disposal or further treatment (plan) Residual emissions to air (types, amounts): CO 2, NOx, nmvoc, CH 4, SO 2 reported. Emissions should be minimized (using BAT) Residual emissions to water (types, amounts): produced water, oil, heavy metals reported. Emissions should be minimized (using BAT) A decommissioning plan Other development options

17 Impact analysis Risk and impacts of oil spills, including trajectory modelling Evaluation of effects of emissions of other pollutants to water and air Impacts of noise, in particular underwater noise on marine mammals Effects on seabirds and marine mammals from disturbances (e.g. helicopters) Effects of lights and flaring, in particular attraction of birds Impacts on fishing and hunting Cumulative impacts: of all operators in the region and in combination with the development in other human activities in the area (fishing, hunting a.o.) The risk of introducing invasive species A description of the forecasting methods used to assess effects on the environment and a discussion of limitations in this assessment due to lack of data

18 Environmental mitigation and monitoring A summary of mitigative measures to be taken A plan for monitoring residual emissions A plan for monitoring environmental impacts of routine operations and of accidents

19 Further studies We do not have sufficient data to make an EIA all through the phases of a development scenario for hydrocarbon exploration In order to secure that data necessary to update the EIA in connection with further activities and accidents are available, a plan for acquiring supplementary data must be prepared and kept updated. This plan should be developed in cooperation with the BMP.

20 Environmental Impact Assessment Flowchart Phase Procedure Activity Responsible Opening of new area for petroleum activities Exploration Development Production SEIA hearing opening EIA in Particularly Sensitive Areas Risk assessment Contingency planning and emergency response EIA Permission for discharge Baseline survey Risk assessment Contingency planning and emergency response Monitoring Risk assessment Contingency planning and emergency response Environmental survey Strategic impact assessment Regulations Seismic Drilling Construction activities Transportation Drilling Drilling Discharges to water Transportation Authorities Operator/Authorities Operator/Authorities Operator/Authorities/ Third Party Decommissioning EIA Monitoring Operator/Authorities

21 Oil spill scenarios Release points and box indicating coverage of high resolution 3D hydrodynamic model being developed, lower resolution outside box Ice cover animation Hydrodynamic model animation