DOCSLIB.ORG

Environmental Assessment of CGG's Newfoundland Offshore Seismic

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Environmental Assessment of CGG's Newfoundland Offshore Seismic Environmental Assessment of CGG’s Newfoundland Offshore Seismic Program, 2016-2025 Prepared by Prepared for February 2016 LGL Project No. FA0067 Environmental Assessment of CGG’s Newfoundland Offshore Seismic Program, 2016-2025 Prepared by LGL Limited, environmental research associates P.O. Box 13248, Stn. A St. John’s, NL A1B 4A5 Tel: 709-754-1992 [email protected] for CGG Services (Canada) Inc. 2200-715 5 Ave. SW Calgary, AB T3G 3R6 Canada February 2016 LGL Project No. FA0067 Suggested Format for Citation: LGL Limited. 2016. Environmental Assessment of CGG’s Newfoundland Offshore Seismic Program, 2016-2025. LGL Rep. FA0067. Rep. by LGL Limited, St. John’s, NL for CGG Services (Canada) Inc., Calgary, AB. 195 p. + Appendix. Table of Contents Page Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ ii List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................v List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... viii 1.0 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 1.1 Relevant Legislation and Regulatory Approvals .....................................................1 1.2 The Operator ............................................................................................................2 1.3 Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Benefits ........................................................3 1.4 Contacts....................................................................................................................3 2.0 Project Description...............................................................................................................4 2.1 Spatial and Temporal Boundaries ............................................................................4 2.2 Project Overview .....................................................................................................5 2.2.1 Objectives and Rationale .............................................................................5 2.2.2 Project Scheduling .......................................................................................6 2.2.3 Site Plans ......................................................................................................6 2.2.4 Personnel ......................................................................................................6 2.2.5 Seismic Vessel .............................................................................................6 2.2.6 Seismic Energy Source Parameters .............................................................6 2.2.7 Seismic Streamers ........................................................................................7 2.2.8 Logistics/Support .........................................................................................7 2.2.9 Waste Management ......................................................................................8 2.2.10 Air Emissions ...............................................................................................8 2.2.11 Accidental Events ........................................................................................8 2.3 Mitigation and Monitoring .......................................................................................9 2.4 Project Site Information ...........................................................................................9 2.4.1 Environmental Features ...............................................................................9 2.5 Consultations..........................................................................................................11 2.6 Effects of the Project on the Environment .............................................................12 2.7 Environmental Monitoring.....................................................................................12 3.0 Physical Environment ........................................................................................................13 3.1 Bathymetry and Geology .......................................................................................13 3.2 Climatology............................................................................................................14 3.2.1 Wind ...........................................................................................................15 3.2.2 Waves .........................................................................................................16 3.2.3 Wind and Wave Extreme Value Analysis .................................................17 3.2.4 Weather Variables ......................................................................................25 3.2.5 Weather Systems ........................................................................................35 3.3 Physical Oceanography ..........................................................................................36 3.3.1 Major Currents in the Study Area ..............................................................37 3.4 Ice Conditions ........................................................................................................40 3.4.1 Sea Ice ........................................................................................................40 3.4.2 Icebergs ......................................................................................................42 Environmental Assessment – CGG NL Offshore Seismic Program, 2016-2025 Page ii 4.0 Biological Environment .....................................................................................................44 4.1 Ecosystem ..............................................................................................................44 4.2 Fish and Fish Habitat VEC ....................................................................................44 4.2.1 Fish Habitat ................................................................................................44 4.2.2 Fish .............................................................................................................53 4.2.3 Fish and Fish Habitat Data Gaps Identified in Relevant SEAs .................60 4.3 Fisheries .................................................................................................................60 4.3.1 Information Sources ...................................................................................61 4.3.2 Regional NAFO Fisheries ..........................................................................62 4.3.3 Domestic Fisheries .....................................................................................62 4.3.4 Traditional and Aboriginal Fisheries .........................................................85 4.3.5 Recreational Fisheries ................................................................................89 4.3.6 Aquaculture ................................................................................................89 4.3.7 Macroinvertebrates and Fishes Collected during DFO Research Vessel (RV) Surveys ..................................................................................89 4.3.8 Industry and DFO Science Surveys .........................................................100 4.3.9 Fisheries Data Gaps Identified in Relevant SEAs ...................................101 4.4 Marine-associated Birds.......................................................................................102 4.4.1 Seasonal Occurrence and Abundance ......................................................103 4.4.2 Breeding Seabirds in Eastern Newfoundland and Southeastern Newfoundland ..........................................................................................103 4.4.3 Prey and Foraging Habits.........................................................................111 4.4.4 Marine-associated Bird Data Gaps Identified in Relevant SEA ..............111 4.5 Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles .......................................................................113 4.5.1 Marine Mammals .....................................................................................113 4.5.2 Sea Turtles ...............................................................................................122 4.5.3 Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Data Gaps Identified in Relevant SEAs ........................................................................................................122 4.6 Species at Risk .....................................................................................................124 4.6.1 Profiles of Marine Species with Endangered or Threatened Status on Schedule 1 of the SARA ...........................................................................127 4.6.2 Species at Risk Data Gaps Identified in Relevant SEAs .........................130 4.7 Sensitive Areas.....................................................................................................130 5.0 Effects Assessment ..........................................................................................................132 5.1 Scoping ................................................................................................................132 5.1.1 Consultations............................................................................................132 5.2 Valued
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Review of the Impact Assessment Agency's Draft Regional
    Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat Newfoundland and Labrador Region Science Response 2020/033 REVIEW OF THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT AGENCY’S DRAFT REGIONAL ASSESSMENT OF OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS EXPLORATORY DRILLING EAST OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR Context The Impact Assessment Agency (IAA), in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada and the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Department of Natural Resources, and guided by a Committee appointed by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), is developing a Regional Assessment (RA) pertaining to offshore oil and gas exploratory drilling east of Newfoundland and Labrador. The final Agreement to Conduct a Regional Assessment of Offshore Oil and Gas Exploratory Drilling East of Newfoundland and Labrador (hereafter referred to as “the Agreement”) was signed on April 15, 2019 between Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the federal Ministers of the Environment and Natural Resources and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Newfoundland and Labrador, as represented by the provincial Ministers of Natural Resources and Intergovernmental and Indigenous Affairs. On the same date, a joint committee was established between the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador. The roles of the Committee, as well as the Task Team and the Technical Advisory Group are described in the Agreement. The RA is intended as a Regional Study pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA 2012) and will assess the potential effects of existing or future physical activities carried out in the Study Area (see Figure 1) which contains multiple current and proposed oil and gas exploration and production activities. The focus of the RA is to bring together existing and available data on the environmental setting of the Study Area, in order to provide a general, regional-scale description of key environmental components at a level of detail that is considered useful and appropriate for the purposes of the RA.
    [Show full text]
  • Decade of North American Geology Geologic Map of North America—Perspectives and Explanation
    Decade of North American Geology Geologic Map of North America—Perspectives and explanation John C. Reed Jr. U.S. Geological Survey MS 980, Denver Federal Center Denver, Colorado 80225 USA John O. Wheeler Geological Survey of Canada 605 Robson Street Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 5J3 Canada Brian E. Tucholke Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Department of Geology and Geophysics MS 22, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543-1541 USA with contributions from Will R. Stettner and David R. Soller 3300 Penrose Place, P.O. Box 9140 Boulder, Colorado 80301-9140 USA 2005 Copyright © 2005, The Geological Society of America, Inc. (GSA). All rights reserved. GSA grants permission to individual scientists to make unlimited photocopies of one or more items from this volume for noncommercial purposes advancing science or education, including classroom use. For permission to make photocopies of any item in this volume for other noncommercial, nonprofit purposes, contact the Geological Society of America. Written permission is required from GSA for all other forms of capture or reproduction of any item in the volume including, but not limited to, all types of electronic or digital scanning or other digital or manual transformation of articles or any portion thereof, such as abstracts, into computer-readable and/or transmittable form for personal or corporate use, either noncommercial or commercial, for-profit or otherwise. Send permission requests to GSA Copyright Permissions, 3300 Penrose Place, P.O. Box 9140, Boulder, Colorado 80301-9140, USA. Copyright is not claimed on any material prepared wholly by government employees within the scope of their employment. Published by The Geological Society of America, Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas
    Status Report on Coral and Sponge Conservation in Canada 2009 Photo Credit: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (L-R) Mycale spp., Paragorgia arborea, Primnoa resedaeformis ii 2009 STATUS REPORT ON CORAL AND SPONGE CONSERVATION IN CANADA by J.S. Campbell1 and J.M. Simms2 112 Tamarack Street, St. John’s NL, A1A 4S5 2 National Centre of Expertise Cold-Water Corals and Sponge Reefs Fisheries and Oceans Canada P.O. Box 5667 St. John's, NL A1C 5X1 iii © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2009. Correct citation for this publication: Campbell, J.S. and Simms, J.M. 2009. Status Report on Coral and Sponge Conservation in Canada. Fisheries and Oceans Canada: vii + 87 p. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ..........................................................................................................................vii Résumé.........................................................................................................................viii 1.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 2.0 Overview of Corals and Sponges in Canada............................................................. 2 2.1 Biology.................................................................................................................. 2 2.2 Distribution............................................................................................................ 4 2.3 Ecosystem function..............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Volcanic Stratigraphy of the Cambrian-Ordovician Kechika Group, Pelly Mountains, South-Central Yukon
    Volcanic stratigraphy of the Cambrian-Ordovician Kechika group, Pelly Mountains, south-central Yukon R.W. Campbell and L.P. Beranek* Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland Campbell, R.W. and Beranek, L.P., 2017. Volcanic stratigraphy of the Cambrian-Ordovician Kechika group, Pelly Mountains, south-central Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 2016, K.E. MacFarlane and L.H. Weston (eds.), Yukon Geological Survey, p. 25-45. ABSTRACT Volcanic rocks occur throughout the lower Paleozoic passive margin successions of western Canada. The tectonic significance of post-breakup magmatism is uncertain, however, some volcanic rocks are spatially associated with margin-parallel normal faults. At the plate-scale, such magmatism is consistent with asymmetric rift models for passive margins, including those with lineaments or transform-transfer zones that form at high angles to the rifted margin. A two-year project was conducted to define the stratigraphy of post-breakup volcanism in the Pelly Mountains, south-central Yukon, and test genetic relationships with the adjacent Liard Line lineament. Field studies targeted Cambrian-Ordovician volcanic strata of the Kechika group in the Quiet Lake map area (NTS 105F). Observed lithofacies are indicative of submarine volcanic edifices and sediment-sill complexes that develop during continental extension. Analogous margin-parallel extension is recognized along the length of the Canadian Cordillera, but the influence of the Liard Line on Cambrian-Ordovician magmatism requires further testing. * [email protected] YUKON EXPLORATION AND GEOLOGY 2016 25 YUKON GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH INTRODUCTION others) and probably related to local faulting (e.g., Pigage, 2004; Cobbett, 2016). Early Paleozoic faults allowed The ancestral Pacific margin of western North America volumetrically small, incompatible element-enriched, low (Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • General Comments
    FUGRO - OFFSHORE SEAFLOOR AND SEEP SAMPLING PROGRAM (2017-2027) ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT – ADDENDUM #2 Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Original comment: Section 3.7 Sensitive Areas, pg 33 - A brief description and/or summary of the characteristics of sensitive marine areas within the study area should be included and Section 3.7 amended accordingly. Fugro Response: Section 3.7 is amended as follows: The Study Area contains a number of sensitive and special areas, including Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs), Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs), NAFO identified coral and sponge closure areas, seamounts, Bonavista Cod Box, Marine Protected Areas and Areas of Interest, and preliminary Representative Marine Areas (Figure 3-10). Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas EBSAs are identified according to pre-established criteria (DFO 2004a). DFO has identified five EBSAs in the area: Southeast Shoal and Tail of the Banks; Southwest Shelf Edge and Slope; Northeast Shelf and Slope; Lily Canyon-Carson Canyon; and Virgin Rocks. • The Southeast Shoal and Tail of the Banks EBSA notable for having the warmest bottom water temperatures on the Grand Banks and a well-defined gyre that drives high rates of primary production (CPAWS 2009) and supports reproducing populations of groundfish and capelin (Walsh et al. 2001; Fuller and Myers 2004). • The Southwest Shelf Edge and Slope EBSA is an area of high productivity due to upwelling processes, and is an important marine area on the Grand Banks because of the high coral species richness, groundfish biomass, and seabird diversity (Kulka and Miri 2003; Ollerhead et al. 2004; Edinger et al. 2007). Cetaceans and leatherback sea turtles are known to congregate in the area to feed (CPAWS 2009).
    [Show full text]
  • 4.4 Seabirds
    4.4 Seabirds 4.4.1 Background The occurrence of seabirds in the Study Area is influenced greatly by the substantial portion of the area that is the Grand Banks and its associated slope waters. The highly productive Grand Banks supports large numbers of seabirds at all times of the year (Lock et al. 1994; Fifield et al. 2009). Seabirds tend to concentrate over oceanographic features such as continental shelf edges and convergences of warm and cold currents, both of which occur in the Study Area. The upwelling of cold water brings mineral nutrients to the surface, allowing high phytoplankton productivity, which forms the basis for increased productivity at higher trophic levels (such as seabirds). Several hundred kilometres of continental shelf edge along the southern Grand Banks occur in the Study Area. The major flow of the Labrador Current flows south along the outer edge of the Grand Bank. An inshore branch flows westward along the south coast of Newfoundland (Lock et al. 1994). Seabirds also concentrate at fish spawning areas, such as the inshore waters of Newfoundland and the Southeast Shoal, both of which are areas where capelin spawn in great numbers. The Study Area supports seabirds from not only Newfoundland, but from areas around the northern and southern Atlantic Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. During spring and summer, several million pelagic seabirds concentrate inshore near the Study Area at large nesting colonies on islands and headlands. Nearshore concentrations of spawning capelin attract numerous seabirds as well. The number and species diversity of these nesting and feeding seabirds is particularly high on the Avalon Peninsula.
    [Show full text]
  • Revised EA Report
    Environmental Assessment of Multiklient Invest Newfoundland Offshore Seismic Program, 2018–2023 Prepared by Prepared for Multiklient Invest AS & TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA March 2018 LGL Report No. FA0106A Environmental Assessment of Multiklient Invest Newfoundland Offshore Seismic Program, 2018–2023 Prepared by LGL Limited, environmental research associates P.O. Box 13248, Stn. A St. John’s, NL A1B 4A5 Tel: 709-754-1992 [email protected] Prepared for Multiklient Invest AS Lilleakerveien 4C, P.O. Box 251 Lilleaker, 0216, Oslo, Norway & TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA 1051 Clay Road Houston, Texas, 77043, USA March 2018 LGL Report No. FA0106A Suggested Format for Citation: LGL Limited. 2018. Environmental Assessment of Multiklient Invest Newfoundland Offshore Seismic Program, 2018–2023. LGL Rep. FA0106A. Rep. by LGL Limited, St. John’s, NL for Multiklient Invest AS, Oslo, Norway, and TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA, Houston, Texas, USA. 233 p. + Appendix. Table of Contents Page List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix 1.0 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 1.1 Relevant Legislation and Regulatory Approvals .....................................................2 1.2 The Operator
    [Show full text]
  • UNEP/CBD/EBSA/WS/2014/2/4 26 May 2014
    CBD Distr. GENERAL UNEP/CBD/EBSA/WS/2014/2/4 26 May 2014 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH NORTH-WEST ATLANTIC REGIONAL WORKSHOP TO FACILITATE THE DESCRIPTION OF ECOLOGICALLY OR BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT MARINE AREAS Montreal, 24 to 28 March 2014 REPO RT OF THE NO RTH-WEST ATLANTIC REGIO NAL WO RKSHO P TO FACILITATE THE DESCRIPTIO N OF ECO LO GICALLY OR BIOLOGICALLY 1 SIGNIFICANT MARINE AREAS INTRO DUCTIO N 1. At its tenth meeting, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity requested the Executive Secretary to work with Parties and other Governments as well as competent organizations and regional initiatives, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), regional seas conventions and action plans, and, where appropriate, regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) to organize, including the setting of terms of reference, a series of regional workshops, with a primary objective to facilitate the description of ecologically or biologically significant marine areas through the application of scientific criteria in annex I of decision IX/20 as well as other relevant compatible and complementary nationally and intergovernmentally agreed scientific criteria, as well as the scientific guidance on the identification of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction, which meet the scientific criteria in annex I to decision IX/20 (paragraph 36 of decision X/29). 2. In the same decision, the Conference of the Parties requested that the Executive Secretary make available the scientific and technical data, and information and results collated through the workshops referred to above, to participating Parties, other Governments, intergovernmental agencies and the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) for their use according to their competencies.
    [Show full text]
  • New VME Indicator Species (Excluding Corals and Sponges) and Some Potential VME Elements of the NAFO Regulatory Area
    NOT TO BE CITED WITHOUT PRIOR REFERENCE TO THE AUTHOR(S) Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Serial No. N6003 NAFO SCR Doc. 11/73 SC WG ON THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO FISHERIES MANAGEMENT – DECEMBER 2011 New VME indicator species (excluding corals and sponges) and some potential VME elements of the NAFO Regulatory Area by F.J. Murillo1, E. Kenchington2, M. Sacau1, D.J.W. Piper3, V. Wareham4, A. Muñoz5 1Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Vigo, Spain. 2Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. 3Geological Survey of Canada, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. 4Department of Fisheries and Oceans, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. 5Secretaría General de Pesca Marítima, Madrid, Spain. Abstract A review of over 500 taxa known to occur in the NRA revealed three additional faunal groups (additional to NAFO 2008a) that meet the criteria for a VME indicator based on traits related to functional significance, fragility, and the life-history traits of component species that produce a slow recovery to disturbance. These are crinoids, erect bryozoans and large sea squirts. For each group it is the dense aggregations (beds/fields) that are considered to be VME in order to establish functional significance. Although each group is present in the NRA, data to date have not revealed any concentrations of note with the exception of one catch of the stalked tunicate Boltenia ovifera (large sea squirt). Black corals were considered to be VME indicators by NAFO based on what was then known of their distribution. These were included based on the uniqueness/rarity criterion of habitats of rare, threatened or endangered species that occur only in discrete areas, however evaluation of their distribution using trawl survey, rock dredge and underwater video has indicated that they have widespread occurrence at low densities in the NRA and along the continental slopes off Labrador.
    [Show full text]
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Special Marine Areas Guide 2Nd Edition
    Special Marine Areas in Newfoundland and Labrador. Second Edition. January 2018. Prepared for CPAWS-NL by Nick White. CPAWS contributors Tanya Edwards and Suzanne Dooley. Cover Credits: 1 1 – Ocean Quest Adventure Resort 2 – Paul Regular 3 – CPAWS-NL 4 – Ocean Quest Adventure Resort 2 3 4 ©2018 Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter. Title: Special Marine Areas in Newfoundland and Labrador Format: Spiral bound book ISBN: 978-1-7752872-0-9 All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without expressed written permission from the publisher. CONTENTS List of Abbreviations .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Geochemistry of Late Middle Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Igneous Rocks on the Eastern North American Margin
    Geochemistry of late Middle Jurassic-Early Cretaceous igneous rocks on the eastern North American margin GEORGIA PE-PIPER Department of Geology, St Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3C3, Canada LUBOMIR F. JANSA Geological Survey of Canada, Atlantic Geoscience Centre, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 1006, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2Y4A2, Canada ABSTRACT alkali olivine basalts. Variations in element ra- alkali volcanic rocks occur in three wells in the tios for geochemically very similar element Orpheus Graben (Hercules J-15, Jason C-20, Geochemical analyses have been made of pairs (such as La/Ce and Zr/Hf) suggest that and Argo F-38), and dikes are found in the late Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous vol- the mantle beneath the two suites may have Hesper 1-52 and P-52 wells to the south. Radi- canic rocks on the eastern North American different compositions. The mantle composi- ometric and biostratigraphic evidence again in- margin from Baltimore Canyon northeast- tion inferred for the New England suite is dicates an Early Cretaceous age (Table 1). ward to the Newfoundland Seamounts. Sam- similar to that postulated by many authors as Basaltic tuffs (Amato and Simonis, 1980) ples from the Newfoundland Seamounts were resulting from mantle plumes. The localiza- were first noted in the COST G-2 well on obtained from dredge hauls, from the New tion of the volcanism in the Early Cretaceous, Georges Bank. Tuffs, flows, and alkalic dikes England Seamounts from Deep Sea Drilling however, is related to the development of were encountered in the Exxon Lydonia Can- Project holes, and from the Grand Banks, fractures, some of which resulted from reac- yon block 133 no.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents
    NEWFOUNDLAND ORPHAN BASIN EXPLORATION DRILLING PROGRAM Table of Contents 6.0 EXISTING BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................... 6.1 6.1 Marine Fish and Fish Habitat ......................................................................................... 6.2 6.1.1 Approach and Key Information Sources ....................................................... 6.2 6.1.2 Trophic Linkages and Community Changes ................................................. 6.3 6.1.3 Key Marine Assemblages ............................................................................. 6.3 6.1.4 Plankton, Plants and Macroalgae ................................................................. 6.4 6.1.4.1 Bacterial Communities / Microbes ................................................ 6.4 6.1.4.2 Phytoplankton ............................................................................... 6.5 6.1.4.3 Zooplankton .................................................................................. 6.6 6.1.4.4 Ichthyoplankton .......................................................................... 6.11 6.1.4.5 Marine Plants and Macroalgae ................................................... 6.12 6.1.5 Pelagic Macroinvertebrates ........................................................................ 6.13 6.1.6 Benthic Invertebrates and Habitat .............................................................. 6.13 6.1.6.1 Corals and Sponges ................................................................... 6.15 6.1.7 Finfish
    [Show full text]