Large-Scale Marine Development Projects (Mineral, Oil and Gas, Infrastructure) Proposed for Canada’S North
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Large-Scale Marine Development Projects (Mineral, Oil and Gas, Infrastructure) Proposed for Canada’s North K. Gavrilchuk and V. Lesage Science Branch Fisheries and Oceans Canada Maurice Lamontagne Institute P.O. Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer Mont-Joli (Québec) G5H 3Z4 2014 Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 3069 Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Technical reports contain scientific and technical information that contributes to existing knowledge but which is not normally appropriate for primary literature. Technical reports are directed primarily toward a worldwide audience and have an international distribution. No restriction is placed on subject matter and the series reflects the broad interests and policies of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, namely, fisheries and aquatic sciences. Technical reports may be cited as full publications. The correct citation appears above the abstract of each report. 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Les demandes de rapports seront satisfaites par l'établissement auteur dont le nom figure sur la couverture et la page du titre. Les numéros 1 à 456 de cette série ont été publiés à titre de Rapports techniques de l'Office des recherches sur les pêcheries du Canada. Les numéros 457 à 714 sont parus à titre de Rapports techniques de la Direction générale de la recherche et du développement, Service des pêches et de la mer, ministère de l'Environnement. Les numéros 715 à 924 ont été publiés à titre de Rapports techniques du Service des pêches et de la mer, ministère des Pêches et de l'Environnement. Le nom actuel de la série a été établi lors de la parution du numéro 925. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 3069 2014 Large-scale marine development projects (mineral, oil and gas, infrastructure) proposed for Canada’s North by K. Gavrilchuk and V. Lesage Fisheries and Oceans Canada Maurice Lamontagne Institute P.O. Box 1000 850 Route de la Mer Mont-Joli, Québec G5H 3Z4 Canada E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] ii Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2014. Cat. No. Fs 97-6/3069E-PDF ISSN 1488-5379 Correct citation for this publication: Gavrilchuk, K., and Lesage, V. 2014. Large-scale marine development projects (mineral, oil and gas, infrastructure) proposed for Canada’s North. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3069: viii + 84 pp. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………………iv LIST OF FIGURES..………………………………………………………………………..…...v LIST OF APPENDICES………………………………………………………………………. vi ABSTRACT AND RÉSUMÉ……………………………………………………………….…viii INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………….1 MATERIALS & METHODS…………………………………………………………………...2 CANADIAN ARCTIC SHIPPING……………………………………………………………..5 OVERALL DEVELOPMENT………………………………………………………………….9 Mineral resource development ...................................................................................................11 Oil and gas development ............................................................................................................14 Infrastructure ..............................................................................................................................21 LABRADOR…………………………………………………………………………………….22 Mineral resource development ...................................................................................................22 Oil and gas development: offshore Labrador .............................................................................26 QUÉBEC………………………………………………………………………………………...28 Mineral resource development ...................................................................................................28 NUNAVUT………………………………………………………………………………………35 Mineral resource development ...................................................................................................35 ONTARIO………………………………………………………………………………………45 Mineral resource development ...................................................................................................45 MANITOBA…………………………………………………………………………………….45 Mineral resource development ...................................................................................................45 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES………………………………………………………………46 Mineral resource development ...................................................................................................46 Oil and gas development: Mackenzie Delta/Beaufort Sea ........................................................46 YUKON………………………………………………………………………………………….54 Mineral resource development ...................................................................................................54 EASTERN ARCTIC OFFSHORE…………………………………………………………….55 Oil and gas development ...........................................................................................................55 HIGH ARCTIC OFFSHORE………………………………………………………………….57 Oil and gas development ...........................................................................................................58 INFRASTRUCTURE…………………………………………………………………………..59 CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………………62 REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………………….63 APPENDICES…………………………………………………………………………………..74 iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Process and associated time frame to bring a mine into production…………………….4 Table 2. Stage and estimated time schedule for a generalized offshore oil and gas development project ...............................................................................................……..4 Table 3. Characteristics of the major mineral development projects with a marine transportation component that are currently in production or in advanced development stage in Canada’s North ............................................................................13 Table 4. Summary of offshore oil and gas exploration research activities currently underway or proposed in the Canadian Arctic ................................................................17 Table 5. Summary of offshore oil and gas exploration and development operations currently underway or proposed in the Canadian Arctic ................................................19 Table 6. Summary of major infrastructure projects in Canada’s North planned from 2013 until 2018 ...............................................................................................................21 Table 7. Mine projects in Labrador under exploration, development, or production that have, or will potentially have a marine transportation component ..........................24 Table 8. Multi-year seismic programs active and proposed for offshore Labrador 2010–2017.......................................................................................................................26 Table 9. Mine projects in northern Québec under exploration, development, or production that have, or will potentially have a marine transportation component .......................................................................................................................30 Table 10. Mine projects in Nunavut under exploration, development or production, that have or will potentially have a marine transportation component .........................37 Table 11. Potential offshore oil and gas exploration and development activities in the Mackenzie Delta/Beaufort Sea region from 2013 to 2027 (Callow 2013). .............51 Table 12. Current oil and gas exploration, significant discovery and production licences in the Beaufort Sea and Mackenzie Delta, to be used in conjunction with Figure 15 (AANDC 2012c) ..............................................................51 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Canada’s Marine Ecoregions (DFO 2009). .....................................................................3 Figure 2. Network of major vessel routes through the Canadian Arctic in 2004, which has largely remained stable since then (Arctic Council 2009) ..............................7