1996 Terra Nova Environmental Impact Statement
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Preface The Development Application for the Terra Nova Development has been prepared pursuant to the Canada- Newfoundland Atlantic Accord Implementation Act and the Canada-Newfoundland Atlantic Accord Implementation (Newfoundland) Act. These Acts require that plans for development of the Terra Nova Field be approved by the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board. This Development Application has been prepared by Petro-Canada on behalf of and in cooperation with all the development Proponents: Petro-Canada, Mobil Oil Canada Properties, Husky Oil Operations Limited, Murphy Oil Company Ltd. and Mosbacher Operating Limited. This application consists of five main documents: 1. Development Application Summary 2. Development Plan - Part I 3. Canada-Newfoundland Benefits Plan 4. Environmental Impact Statement 5. Socio-Economic Impact Statement As well, Development Plan - Part II, which consists of the numerous reports used to prepare the development plan, has been filed with the Board. In the future Project Phase, a Safety Plan and an Environmental Protection Plan will also be prepared. Each of the five main documents is described below: Development Plan Summary - an overview of all aspects of the plans to develop the Terra Nova Field engineering, economic, environmental and social Development Plan - Part I - the details of the engineering, reservoir and economic plans for the Terra Nova Field Canada-Newfoundland Benefits Plan - a description of the Proponents' commitments and plans for the participation of Canadian, in particular Newfoundland and Labrador businesses, and the employment of Canadians, in particular Newfoundland and Labrador residents, during the development. Environmental Impact Statement - a description of the physical and biological environments of the Terra Nova area and the impacts of the development on them Socio-Economic Impact Statement - a description of the baseline conditions for, and the effects of the Terra Nova Development on industry, employment, demography, housing, social infrastructure and services, public infrastructure, municipal government and the fishery The Development Application for the Terra Nova Development is based on preliminary information and design work available to March 31, 1996. As further information becomes available, the plans described in this Development Application may be modified or refined. Furthermore, submission of this Development Application does not necessarily commit the Proponents to proceed with the Terra Nova Development. Any requests for Development Application documents should be sent to: Petro-Canada Telephone: (709) 576-2681 Suite 504, Scotia Centre Facsimile: (709) 576-2685 235 Water Street St. John's, Newfoundland A1C 1B5 The Development Application documents were printed in Newfoundland. The Authors Petro-Canada contracted the following firms to research the environmental impacts of the Terra Nova Development: LGL Limited - St. John's, Newfoundland ASL Environmental Sciences Inc. - Sidney, British Columbia S.L. Ross Environmental Research Ltd. - Ottawa, Ontario The technical content of this Environmental Impact Statement is the result of that assessment. Master Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1-1 1.1 Scope of the Development 1-1 1.2 History of the Field 1-9 1.3 Participants in the Development 1-11 1.4 Schedule 1-13 1.5 Management 1-13 2. Environmental Management 2-1 2.1 Total Loss Management 2-2 2.1.1 Leadership 2-2 2.1.2 Organization 2-2 2.1.3 Issue Management 2-4 2.1.4 Evaluation 2-4 2.1.5 Stewardship 2-5 2.1.6 Operating Practice 2-6 2.2 Application of Total Loss Management 2-6 3. Physical Environmental Setting 3-1 3.1 Atmospheric Environment 3-1 3.1.1 Database 3-1 3.1.2 Air Masses and Circulation Patterns 3-6 3.1.3 Climatic Controls and Variations 3-11 3.1.4 Regional Climatology 3-13 3.1.5 Severe Conditions 3-22 3.2 Oceanic Environment 3-37 3.2.1 Database 3-37 3.2.2 Bathymetry 3-40 3.2.3 Water Masses 3-42 3.2.4 Ocean Currents 3-60 3.2.5 Tides and Other Short-Term Sea-Level Variations 3-81 3.2.6 Oceanic Fronts 3-84 3.2.7 Upwelling Areas 3-84 Document #95032-0-EI-GM-00010.0 Rev.0 iv 3.2.8 Wave Climate 3-88 3.3 Sea Ice and Icebergs 3-111 3.3.1 Database 3-111 3.3.2 Sea Ice 3-113 3.3.3 Icebergs 3-135 3.4 Geology 3-157 3.4.1 Bedrock Geology 3-157 3.4.2 Physiography and Surficial Sediments 3-163 3.4.3 Hydrocarbon Occurrence and Production 3-166 3.4.4 Seismicity 3-166 3.5 Shoreline Environment 3-172 3.5.1 Coastal Geomorphology 3-172 3.5.2 Hydrology, Oceanography and Ice 3-173 3.6 Chemical Environment 3-176 3.6.1 Water Quality 3-176 3.6.2 Marine Sediment Chemistry 3-179 4. Biological Environmental Setting 4-1 4.1 Grand Banks Ecosystem 4-1 4.1.1 Plankton 4-4 4.1.2 Benthos 4-4 4.1.3 Fish 4-6 4.1.4 Marine-Related Birds and Mammals 4-6 4.2 Phytoplankton 4-9 4.3 Other Microbiota 4-14 4.4 Invertebrate Zooplankton 4-16 4.4.1 Species Composition 4-17 4.4.2 Geographic Distribution 4-18 4.4.3 Vertical Distribution 4-20 4.4.4 Seasonal and Annual Variability 4-21 4.4.5 Importance in Food Web 4-25 Document #95032-0-EI-GM-00010.0 Rev.0 v 4.5 Ichthyoplankton 4-26 4.5.1 Geographic and Seasonal Distribution 4-27 4.5.2 Recent Ichthyoplankton Research 4-33 4.5.3 Geographic and Seasonal Distribution 4-33 4.5.4 Vertical Distribution 4-35 4.5.5 Interannual Variability 4-36 4.5.6 Flemish Cap 4-36 4.6 Benthos 4-38 4.6.1 Macrophytes and Associated Microscopic Algae 4-38 4.6.2 Benthic Fauna 4-39 4.7 Biofouling 4-45 4.8 Fish and Fisheries 4-48 4.8.1 Iceland Scallop 4-53 4.8.2 Snow Crab 4-55 4.8.3 Stimpson Surf Clam 4-55 4.8.4 Skates 4-57 4.8.5 Redfish 4-57 4.8.6 Capelin 4-59 4.8.7 Atlantic Herring 4-62 4.8.8 Atlantic Cod 4-65 4.8.9 Greenland Halibut 4-68 4.8.10 Witch Flounder 4-70 4.8.11 American Plaice 4-72 4.8.12 Pollock 4-76 4.8.13 Haddock 4-76 4.8.14 Yellowtail Flounder 4-77 4.8.15 Northern Shrimp 4-78 4.8.16 Other Notable Species 4-78 4.9 Marine-Related Birds 4-85 4.9.1 Database 4-85 4.9.2 Breeding Biology and Nesting Populations 4-85 4.9.3 Foods and Feeding Habits 4-93 4.9.4 Geographic and Seasonal Distributions 4-93 4.9.5 Important Species and Areas 4-93 Document #95032-0-EI-GM-00010.0 Rev.0 vi 4.10 Marine Mammals 4-97 4.10.1 Database 4-97 4.10.2 Populations and Stocks 4-97 4.10.3 Food and Feeding Habits 4-100 4.10.4 Geographic and Seasonal Distributions 4-101 4.11 Predevelopment Pollutant Concentrations - Biota 4-103 4.11.1 Hydrocarbons 4-103 4.11.2 Trace Elements 4-107 5. Impact Assessment 5-1 5.1 Impact Assessment Methodology 5-3 5.1.1 Types of Impacts 5-3 5.1.2 Impact Analysis Methods 5-3 5.2 Evaluation of Alternatives 5-10 5.3 Normal Operations During Drilling and Construction 5-11 5.3.1 Description of Physical Facilities and Activities 5-11 5.3.2 Presence of Structures 5-13 5.3.3 Lights and Beacons 5-16 5.3.4 Installation of Seabed Components and Underwater Construction 5-16 5.3.5 Discharge of Drilling Muds and Cuttings 5-16 5.3.6 Discharge of Other Fluids and Solids 5-28 5.3.7 Atmospheric Emissions 5-33 5.3.8 Effects of Ships and Boats 5-33 5.3.9 Effects of Helicopters 5-34 5.3.10 Effects of Noise 5-34 5.3.11 Shore-Based Facilities 5-42 5.4 Normal Production and Maintenance Operations 5-46 5.4.1 Presence of Structures 5-46 5.4.2 Lights and Beacons 5-48 5.4.3 Maintenance of Subsea Structures 5-48 5.4.4 Injection Water 5-49 5.4.5 Produced Water 5-49 5.4.6 Other Operational Discharges 5-55 5.4.7 Atmospheric Emissions 5-58 Document #95032-0-EI-GM-00010.0 Rev.0 vii 5.4.8 Effects of Ships and Boats 5-59 5.4.9 Effects of Helicopters 5-59 5.4.10 Effects of Noise 5-60 5.4.11 Shore-Based Facilities 5-61 5.5 Transportation 5-62 5.6 Decommissioning 5-64 5.6.1 Terra Nova Development Area 5-64 5.6.2 Shore-Based Facilities 5-66 5.7 Oil Spills 5-67 5.7.1 Oil Spill Probability Analysis 5-68 5.7.2 Selection of Oil Spill Scenarios 5-85 5.7.3 Terra Nova Oil Properties and General Spill Behaviour 5-90 5.7.4 Modelling and Description of Selected Oil Spill Scenarios 5-100 5.7.5 Terra Nova Spill Trajectories 5-108 5.7.6 Environmental Impact Assessment 5-114 5.7.7 Assessment of Oil-Spill Countermeasures 5-121 5.7.8 Residual Impacts 5-125 5.8 Cumulative Impacts 5-127 5.8.1 Impact Summary 5-127 5.8.2 Cumulative Development Impacts 5-134 5.8.3 Cumulative Impacts of the Development and Other Activities on the Grand Banks 5-135 5.8.4 Cumulative Impacts and Climatic Change 5-136 6.