Environmental Statement for the Gjøa to FLAGS Pipeline
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Environmental Statement for the Gjøa to FLAGS pipeline PL 153 Gjøa Vega Gas export Power from shore Oil export November 2006 PL 153 Gjøa Environmental Statement for the Gjøa to FLAGS pipeline November 2006 Standard Information Sheet Project name: Gjøa to FLAGS Gas Export Pipeline DTI Project reference: D/3325/2006 Type of project: Field Development Undertaker Name: Statoil ASA Address: Statoil ASA N-4035 Stavanger Norway Licensees/Owners: RWE Dea Norge AS 8% A/S Norske Shell 12% Statoil ASA 20% Petoro AS 30% Gaz de France Norge AS 30% Short description: Statoil are proposing to install a new 28” (ID) gas export pipeline between the Gjøa SEMI and FLAGS, as part of the Gjøa project. The new export pipeline will be connected to a new Gjøa semi-submersible platform via two 12” risers. The pipeline will be connected to FLAGS at the Tampen Link connection, via a new Hot Tap Tee-piece. All connections at Gjøa and at FLAGS will be stabilised using gravel and rock and will be fitted with protective structures. Dates Anticipated commencement May 2007 of works: Date and reference number Not applicable of any earlier Statement related to this project: Significant environmental Physical Presence of Vessels impacts identified: Anchoring of vessels during pipeline Installation Pipeline installation Physical presence of the pipeline and subsea structures Emissions from anodes Accidental spills of diesel Statement Prepared By: Statoil ASA BMT Cordah Limited, Aberdeen i PL 153 Gjøa Environmental Statement for the Gjøa to FLAGS pipeline November 2006 This page has been intentionally left blank ii PL 153 Gjøa Environmental Statement for the Gjøa to FLAGS pipeline November 2006 Abbreviations Al Aluminium ALARP As Low As Reasonably Practicable BOD Biological Oxygen Demand BSI British Standards Institute CEFAS Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science CH4 Methane CPR Continuous Plankton Recorder CO Carbon monoxide CO2 Carbon dioxide cSAC Candidate Special Area of Conservation dB decibels DP Dynamically Positioned DEFRA Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs DETR Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions dSAC Draft Special Area of Conservation DSV Dive Support Vessel DTI Department of Trade and Industry DWT Dead weight tonnage EAC Environmental Action Concentrations EC European Community EEC European Economic Community EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EQS Environmental Quality Standards ERA Environmental Risk Assessment ES Environmental Statement EU European Union EWD European Wildlife Division FDP Field Development Plan FLAGS Far North Liquids and Gas System FRS Fisheries Research Services GPS Global Positioning System HAB Harmful Algal Blooms HTT Hot Tap Tee-piece Hz hertz ICES International Council for the Exploration of the Seas ISO International Standard Organisation JNCC Joint Nature Conservation Committee km kilometre m metres MARPOL International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships MCA Maritime Coastguard Agency MDAC Methane-Derived Authigenic Carbonate MoD Ministry of Defence MPE Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (Norwegian) m/s Metres per Second NAO North Atlantic Oscillation NFFO National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations nm Nautical mile NOx Nitrogen oxides N2O Nitrogen dioxide NSTF North Sea Task Force OD Overall Diameter iii PL 153 Gjøa Environmental Statement for the Gjøa to FLAGS pipeline November 2006 OSIS Oil Spill Information System OSPAR Oslo and Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic OVI Offshore Vulnerability index PDO Plan for Development and Operation of a petroleum deposit PIO Plan for installation and operation of facilities for transport and utilisation of petroleum PL Production licence PLEM Pipeline End Manifold ppm Parts per million PWA Pipeline Work Authorisation RIA regional impact assessment ROV Remotely Operated Vehicle RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds SAC Special Area of Conservation SAST Seabirds at Sea Team SCANS Small Cetacean Abundance in the North Sea (survey) SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SEERAD Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department SEPA Scottish Environmental Protection Agency SFF Scottish Fishermen’s Federation SFLL Statfjord Late Life SMRU Sea Mammal Research Unit SMSS super martensitic stainless steel SNH Scottish Natural Heritage SOPEP Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans SoS Secretary of State for Trade and Industry UKCS United Kingdom Continental Shelf UKDMAP United Kingdom Digital Map UKOOA United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association VOC Volatile Organic Compounds WWF World Wildlife Fund Zn Zinc iv PL 153 Gjøa Environmental Statement for the Gjøa to FLAGS pipeline November 2006 Contents Standard Information Sheet.........................................................................................................................i Abbreviations...............................................................................................................................................iii Contents....................................................................................................................................................... v 1 Non-Technical Summary...............................................................................................................1-1 1.1 The Project ............................................................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.2 The Existing Environment ..................................................................................................................................... 1-2 1.3 Significant Risks and Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................... 1-4 1.4 Conclusions........................................................................................................................................................... 1-6 2 Introduction....................................................................................................................................2-1 2.1 The Gjøa Field and the Background to the Gjøa to FLAGS Gas Export Pipeline ............................................... 2-1 2.2 Plans for Development and Transport from the Gjøa Field and Treaties between the United Kingdom and Norway .................................................................................................................................................................. 2-2 2.3 The Purpose of the Environmental Impact Assessment ...................................................................................... 2-2 2.4 Legislative EIA Requirements............................................................................................................................... 2-2 2.4.1 International Legislation 2-2 2.4.2 Norwegian Legislation 2-3 2.4.3 UK Legislation 2-3 2.5 The Relationship between UK and Norwegian Legislation and formal Requirements for EIA/ES Documentation ...................................................................................................................................................... 2-3 2.5.1 Environmental Impact Assessment Programme 2-3 2.5.2 Regional and Strategic Impact Assessments 2-4 2.5.3 Contents and Structure of the EIA Documents 2-6 2.6 The Impact Assessment Process for the British and Norwegian Authorities....................................................... 2-6 2.7 Necessary Approvals/Applications, Consents and Information Requirements in Addition to PIO/PWA............. 2-7 3 THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME.................................................3-1 3.1 Consultation Process ............................................................................................................................................ 3-1 3.2 Concerns and Issues ............................................................................................................................................ 3-1 3.3 Scope of the Environmental Assessment............................................................................................................. 3-2 3.4 Methodology – Environmental Assessment ......................................................................................................... 3-2 3.5 Background Documents........................................................................................................................................ 3-4 v PL 153 Gjøa Environmental Statement for the Gjøa to FLAGS pipeline November 2006 4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION...............................................................................................................4-1 4.1 Gjøa gas export solutions ..................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Gas Production at Gjøa 4-2 4.2 Gjøa to FLAGS gas export pipeline ...................................................................................................................... 4-2 4.3 Description for the selected Gjøa to FLAGS gas export pipeline......................................................................... 4-3 4.3.1 Site Survey 4-3 4.3.2 Crossings 4-4 4.3.3 Pipeline Installation 4-5 4.3.4 Corrosion Protection 4-6 4.3.5 Structures, Tie-Ins and Connection Operations 4-7 4.3.6 Leak testing and Dewatering operations 4-9 4.3.7 Emissions during pipeline installation 4-10 4.4 Operational Phase 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