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Victoria Field: Decommissioning Environmental Appraisal

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Victoria Field: Decommissioning Environmental Appraisal Victoria Field: Decommissioning Environmental Appraisal Victoria Field: Decommissioning Environmental Appraisal NEO-VC-OP-PLN-0002 Rev: 01 In 2019 Verus Petroleum underwent a name change to become NEO Energy. NEO accepts, agrees and supports previous studies and assessments carried out by Verus. Where appropriate there are references to Verus documentation published prior to this date. Consultation Copy Version: Date: Author: Approver: 01 14/12/2020 NEO-VC-OP-PLN-0002 Rev: 02 1 Victoria Field: Decommissioning Environmental Appraisal Document Control Name Signature Date Prepared by 14/12/2020 Reviewed by 14/12/2020 Approved by 14/12/2020 Revision Control Rev Definition Changes: Issue Date: No: A1 Develop draft 01/01/2018 B1 Revised and updated draft OPRED comments addressed from July 2020 12/11/2020 C1 Revised and updated draft OPRED comments addressed and revised schedule included 30/11/2020 D1 Revised and updated review OPRED comments addressed (dated Nov 2020) 12/11/2020 01 Revised for issue OPRED comments addressed (dated Dec 2020) 14/12/2020 02 Issued for consultation Finalised for consultation 14/12/2020 Distribution List Name Company No: of Copies Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and 1 Decommissioning (OPRED) Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) NEO-VC-OP-PLN-0002 Rev: 02 2 Victoria Field: Decommissioning Environmental Appraisal Contents 0 Non-Technical Summary ...........................................................................................................16 0.1 Project Overview ........................................................................................................... 16 0.2 Regulatory Context ........................................................................................................ 16 0.3 Scope of Victoria Decommissioning Programme .......................................................... 17 0.4 Recommended Decommissioning Options ................................................................... 17 0.5 Environmental Settings and Sensitivities ...................................................................... 17 0.6 Assessment of Environmental Effects & Their Significance .......................................... 20 0.7 Environmental Management ......................................................................................... 21 0.8 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 21 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................22 1.1 NEO Energy .................................................................................................................. 22 1.2 Project Background & Purpose ..................................................................................... 22 1.3 Scope of the Proposed Decommissioning Operations .................................................. 23 1.4 Purpose of Environmental Impact Assessment ............................................................ 23 1.5 Regulatory Context ........................................................................................................ 24 1.6 Consultations ................................................................................................................. 25 1.7 Report Structure ............................................................................................................ 26 1.8 Transboundary & Cumulative Impacts .......................................................................... 26 2 Project Description ....................................................................................................................27 2.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 27 2.2 Well Abandonment ........................................................................................................ 30 2.3 Decommissioning of Victoria Field Installation .............................................................. 30 2.4 Decommissioning of Pipeline & Umbilical ..................................................................... 31 2.5 Decommissioning options ............................................................................................. 33 2.6 Disposal of Decommissioning Materials ........................................................................ 35 2.7 Atmospheric Emissions & Energy Use .......................................................................... 35 2.8 Decommissioning Schedule .......................................................................................... 37 3 Environmental Baseline ............................................................................................................39 3.1 Physical Environment .................................................................................................... 39 3.2 Biological Environment .................................................................................................. 42 3.3 Conservation Areas ....................................................................................................... 49 3.4 Commercial Fisheries .................................................................................................... 53 3.5 Nearby Oil & Gas Infrastructure .................................................................................... 56 3.6 Other Offshore Commercial Activities ........................................................................... 56 3.7 Commercial Shipping .................................................................................................... 59 3.8 Submarine Cables ......................................................................................................... 59 3.9 Military Activities ............................................................................................................ 59 3.10 Wrecks ........................................................................................................................... 59 4 Evaluation of Potential Environmental Impacts .........................................................................61 4.1 Risk Assessment Methodology ..................................................................................... 61 NEO-VC-OP-PLN-0002 Rev: 02 3 Victoria Field: Decommissioning Environmental Appraisal 4.2 Risk Assessment Findings ............................................................................................ 65 5 Seabed Impacts ........................................................................................................................70 5.1 Regulatory Context ........................................................................................................ 70 5.2 Approach ....................................................................................................................... 70 5.3 Source of Potential Impacts .......................................................................................... 70 5.4 Short & Long-Term Impacts .......................................................................................... 72 5.5 SHORT-TERM IMPACTS ON SENSITIVE RECEPTORS ............................................ 72 5.6 Long-Term Impacts on Sensitive Receptors ................................................................. 74 5.7 Cumulative & Transboundary Impacts .......................................................................... 76 5.8 Proposed Mitigation Measures ...................................................................................... 77 5.9 Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 77 6 Discharges to Sea .....................................................................................................................77 6.1 Regulatory Context ........................................................................................................ 77 6.2 Approach ....................................................................................................................... 77 6.3 Sources of Potential Impacts ......................................................................................... 78 6.4 Impacts on Sensitive Receptors .................................................................................... 79 6.5 Cumulative & Transboundary Impacts .......................................................................... 80 6.6 Proposed Mitigation Measures ...................................................................................... 80 6.7 Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 80 7 Societal Impacts ........................................................................................................................81 7.1 Regulatory Context ........................................................................................................ 81 7.2 Approach ....................................................................................................................... 81 7.3 Sources of Potential Impacts ......................................................................................... 81 7.4 Impacts on Sensitive Receptors .................................................................................... 82 7.5 Cumulative & Transboundary
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