Monitoring of Industrial Sounds, Seals, and Bowhead Whales Near BP's
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MONITORING OF INDUSTRIAL SOUNDS, SEALS, AND BOWHEAD WHALES NEAR BP’S NORTHSTAR OIL DEVELOPMENT, ALASKAN BEAUFORT SEA, 1999–2002 by and Greeneridge Sciences Inc. for BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. Dept of Health, Safety & Environment 900 East Benson Blvd. Anchorage, AK 99519-6612 and National Marine Fisheries Service Anchorage, AK, and Silver Spring, MD December 2003 MONITORING OF INDUSTRIAL SOUNDS, SEALS, AND BOWHEAD WHALES NEAR BP’S NORTHSTAR OIL DEVELOPMENT, ALASKAN BEAUFORT SEA, 1999–2002 edited by W. John Richardson 1 and Michael T. Williams 2 1 LGL Ltd., environmental research associates 22 Fisher St., POB 280, King City, Ont. L7B 1A6 (905) 833-1244; [email protected] 2 LGL Alaska Research Associates Inc. 1101 E. 76th Ave, Suite B, Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 562-3339; [email protected] for BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. Dept of Health, Safety & Environment 900 East Benson Blvd. Anchorage, AK 99519-6612 and National Marine Fisheries Service Anchorage, AK, and Silver Spring, MD December 2003 Suggested format for citations: Richardson, W.J. and M.T. Williams (eds.) 2002. Monitoring of industrial sounds, seals, and bowhead whales near BP’s Northstar Oil Development, Alaskan Beaufort Sea, 1999–2002. Rep. from LGL Ltd., King City, Ont., and Greeneridge Sciences Inc., Santa Barbara, CA, for BP Explor. (Alaska) Inc., Anchorage, AK, and Nat. Mar. Fish. Serv., Anchorage, AK, and Silver Spring, MD. 343 p. Individual chapters can also be cited, as follows: Williams, M.T., W.J. Richardson and R. Rodrigues. 2003. Introduction. p. 1-1 to 1-12 In: … LGL Rep. TA2707-4. Williams, M.T. and R. Rodrigues. 2003. BP’s activities at Northstar, 1999–2002. p. 2-1 to 2-29 In: … LGL Rep. TA2707-5. Ice-Covered Season Blackwell, S.B., C.R. Greene Jr. and W.J. Richardson. 2003. Drilling and operational sounds from an oil pro- duction island in the ice-covered Beaufort Sea. p. 3-1 to 3-26 In: … LGL Rep. TA2704-2.* Moulton, V.D., R.E. Elliott and M.T. Williams. 2003. Fixed-wing aerial surveys of seals near BP’s Northstar and Liberty sites, 2002. p. 4-1 to 4-35 In: … LGL Rep. TA2702-2. Moulton, V.D., W.J. Richardson, T.L. McDonald, R.E. Elliott, M.T. Williams and C. Nations. 2003. Effects of Northstar on local abundance and distribution of ringed seals (Phoca hispida) of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea. p. 5-1 to 5-24 In: … LGL Rep. TA2702-4.* Break-Up and Open Water Seasons Blackwell, S.B. 2003. Sound measurements, 2002 open-water season. p. 6-1 to 6-49 In: … LGL Rep. 2705-2.* Greene, C.R. Jr., M.W. McLennan, S.B. Blackwell, T.L. McDonald and W.J. Richardson. 2003. Acoustic monitoring of bowhead whale migration, autumn 2002. p. 7-1 to 7-31 In: … LGL Rep. TA2706-2.* Greene, C.R. Jr., M.W. McLennan, R.G. Norman, T.L. McDonald and W.J. Richardson. 2003. Using DIFAR sensors to locate calling bowhead whales and monitor their migration. p. 8-1 to 8-38 In: … LGL Rep. TA2706-3.* McDonald, T.L. and W.J. Richardson. 2003. A statistical approach for assessing displacement of bowhead whale locations associated with elevated sound levels. p. 9-1 to 9-26 In: … LGL Rep. TA2706-4.* Richardson, W.J., C.R. Greene Jr. and T.L. McDonald. 2003. Acoustic localization of bowhead whales near a Beaufort Sea oil development, 2001-2002: Evidence of deflection at high-noise times? p. 10-1 to 10-42 In: … LGL Rep. TA2706-5.* Numbers of Seals and Whales Potentially Affected, Nov. 2001 – Oct. 2002 Moulton, V.D., M.T. Williams, W.J. Richardson and T.L. McDonald. 2003. Estimated numbers of seals and whales potentially affected by Northstar activities, Nov. 2001 – Oct. 2002. p. 11-1 to 11-31 In: … LGL Rep. TA2707-6.* * Chapters 3 and 5–11 have been revised relative to those in a draft of this report that was dated May 2003. ii Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS..................................................................................................xi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY......................................................................................................................xiii Introduction................................................................................................................................................xiii BP’s Activities at Northstar, 1999–2002 ....................................................................................................xv Drilling and Operational Sounds, Winter 2001 & 2002 .............................................................................xv Fixed-Wing Aerial Surveys of Seals Near BP’s Northstar & Liberty Sites, Spring 2002........................xvi Northstar Effect on Seal Densities.............................................................................................................xvi Sound Measurements, 2002 Open-Water Season .....................................................................................xvii Acoustic Monitoring of Bowhead Whale Migration, Autumn 2002 .......................................................xviii DIFAR Sensors for Monitoring Bowhead Whale Migration.....................................................................xix Statistical Approach for Assessing Displacement.......................................................................................xx Deflection of Bowhead Migration near Northstar?.....................................................................................xx Estimated Numbers of Seals and Whales Potentially Affected, Nov. 2001 – Oct. 2002...........................xxi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1-1 Background................................................................................................................................................1-2 BP Business Rationale for the Northstar Monitoring Program..................................................................1-3 Chronology of Marine Mammal Authorizations .......................................................................................1-3 Monitoring Tasks.......................................................................................................................................1-4 Monitoring During Ice-Covered Seasons........................................................................................1-5 1. Fixed-wing Aerial Surveys of Seals ....................................................................................1-5 2. Monitoring of Seal Structures in the Sea Ice Adjacent to Northstar....................................1-6 3. Helicopter Survey of Seal Breathing Holes.........................................................................1-7 4. Sound Measurements during Winter ...................................................................................1-7 Monitoring During Open-Water Seasons........................................................................................1-7 5. Sound Measurements during Summer and Autumn ...........................................................1-7 6. Island-based Visual Monitoring during Spring Break-up, 2000.........................................1-8 7. Acoustic Monitoring of Migrating Bowhead Whales.........................................................1-8 Other Components of This Report.............................................................................................................1-9 Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................................1-9 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................................1-10 CHAPTER 2: BP’S ACTIVITIES AT NORTHSTAR, 1999–2002 ....................................................2-1 Abstract......................................................................................................................................................2-2 Introduction................................................................................................................................................2-2 Overall Sequence of Northstar Development..................................................................................2-3 Seasonal Transportation Needs .......................................................................................................2-3 Ice Roads .................................................................................................................................2-4 Transition and Open-Water Seasons........................................................................................2-4 Initial Construction ....................................................................................................................................2-8 Ice Road Construction, Early 1999..................................................................................................2-8 Ice Road Construction, Winter 1999-2000......................................................................................2-9 Island and Pipeline Construction, Early-Mid 2000 .......................................................................2-11 iii Table of Contents Later Construction Phases and Initial Drilling.........................................................................................2-14 2000 Break-up and Open-Water Season .......................................................................................2-14 2000–2001 Ice-covered Period......................................................................................................2-16