GAB Drilling E&S Screening Report
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Great Australian Bight Exploration Project Great Australian Bight Exploration Drilling Program ENVIRONMENT PLAN SUMMARY (EPPs 37, 38, 39, 40) Rev 0 1 October 2015 Revision Comment Date Rev 0 Draft issued for public information 1 October 2015 This document is copyright and shall not be Rev 0 reproduced without the permission of BP GAB Exploration Drilling EP Summary Table of Contents 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Proponent ..............................................................................................................1 1.2 Legislative Framework ...........................................................................................2 2 Activity Description ........................................................................................... 3 2.1 Location .................................................................................................................3 2.2 Operational Details .................................................................................................5 2.2.1 Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit ............................................................................................ 5 2.2.2 Support Vessels ................................................................................................................ 5 2.2.3 Aviation Operations .......................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Drilling Program .....................................................................................................5 2.3.1 Timing and Schedule ........................................................................................................ 5 2.3.2 Well Design and Drilling Methodology ............................................................................. 5 2.4 Well Control ...........................................................................................................7 2.4.1 Loss of Well Control Prevention ....................................................................................... 7 2.4.2 Loss of Well Control Response Equipment ...................................................................... 8 2.4.3 Well Capping ................................................................................................................... 10 2.4.4 Relief Well ....................................................................................................................... 10 2.5 BP Learnings from the Macondo well blowout ....................................................11 3 Stakeholder Consultation ............................................................................... 17 3.1 Stakeholder Identification .....................................................................................18 3.2 Stakeholder Engagement .....................................................................................20 3.3 Key Themes Raised During Consultation .............................................................2 1 3.4 Ongoing Consultation...........................................................................................23 4 Description of the Existing Environment ...................................................... 24 4.1 Research ..............................................................................................................24 4.2 Physical Environment ...........................................................................................24 4.2.1 Climate ............................................................................................................................ 24 4.2.2 Oceanography ................................................................................................................. 26 4.2.3 Ambient Ocean Sound .................................................................................................... 26 4.2.4 Seabed ............................................................................................................................ 27 4.3 Coastal Environment ............................................................................................27 4.4 Biological Environment .........................................................................................30 4.4.1 Benthic Habitats and Assemblages ................................................................................ 30 4.4.2 Marine Flora .................................................................................................................... 31 4.4.3 Demersal Fauna .............................................................................................................. 31 4.4.4 Pelagic Fauna .................................................................................................................. 31 4.5 Conservation Values and Sensitivities ..................................................................34 4.5.1 Key Ecological Features .................................................................................................. 34 4.5.2 Commonwealth Marine Reserves .................................................................................. 36 Page i of 77 BP Developments Australia Pty Ltd Rev: 0 GAB Exploration Drilling EP Summary 4.5.3 Other Sensitive Sites ...................................................................................................... 36 4.5.4 State Marine Reserves ................................................................................................... 36 4.6 Cultural Environment ...........................................................................................39 4.7 Socio-economic Environment ...............................................................................39 4.7.1 Coastal Settlements ....................................................................................................... 39 4.7.2 Commercial Fishing ........................................................................................................ 39 4.7.3 Recreational Fishing ........................................................................................................ 48 4.7.4 Tourism ........................................................................................................................... 48 4.7.5 Petroleum Exploration and Production ........................................................................... 48 4.7.6 Shipping .......................................................................................................................... 48 4.7.7 Defence Activities ........................................................................................................... 48 5 Environmental Risk Assessment ................................................................... 50 6 Summary of Response Arrangements in the Oil Pollution Emergency Plan66 6.1 Support Arrangements .........................................................................................66 6.2 Response Strategy ...............................................................................................67 6.3 Tiered Response Classification ............................................................................68 6.3.1 Crude Oil ......................................................................................................................... 68 6.3.2 Refined and Processed Hydrocarbon Products .............................................................. 69 6.3.3 Drilling Mud ..................................................................................................................... 69 7 Implementation Strategy ............................................................................... 70 7.1 The BP HSSE Management System ....................................................................70 7.2 Contractor Management System .........................................................................70 7.3 Roles and Responsibilities ...................................................................................72 7.4 Training and Competencies ..................................................................................72 7.5 Incident Recording and Reporting ........................................................................73 7.6 Environmental Monitoring & Record Keeping ......................................................73 7.7 Auditing and Review ............................................................................................73 8 Contact Details ................................................................................................ 74 9 References ........................................................................................................ 74 Page ii of 77 BP Developments Australia Pty Ltd Rev: 0 GAB Exploration Drilling EP Summary 1 Introduction BP Developments Australia Pty Ltd (BP), in its capacity as operator of the proposed Great Australian Bight (GAB) Exploration Drilling Program, proposes to drill four exploration wells in Commonwealth marine waters in the GAB. Exact well locations are yet to be determined for all wells, however they will be drilled within the Ceduna 3D seismic survey area, which was acquired between November 2011 and May 2012 and covered 12,100 km2 across Exploration Permit for Petroleum (EPP) 37, EPP 38, EPP 39 and EPP 40 (herein referred to as the ‘drilling area’). The EP addresses drilling anywhere within this drilling area. The GAB exploration drilling program is