Husky Energy REPORT I
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
[ ~ Husky Energy REPORT I Labrador Shelf Seismic Program - Environmental Assessment Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board 5th Floor, TO Place 140 Water Street St. John's, NL A1C 6H6 Husky Energy 235 Water Street, Suite 901 St. John's, NL A1C 1B6 Signature: Date: February 26, 2010 Full Name and Francine Wight Title: Environment Lead Prepared by Reviewed by HDMS No.: 004085338 EC-HSE-SY-0003 1 All rights reserved. CONFIDENTlALIlY NOTE: No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of Husky Energy. EC-FT-00012 Labrador Shelf Seismic Program – Environmental Assessment Executive Summary Husky Energy proposes to undertake 2-D and 3-D seismic and follow-up geo-hazard surveys on its exploration acreage (Exploration Licenses 1106 and 1108) on the Labrador Shelf. Husky foresees the potential for a 2-D seismic survey in the summer of 2010, while other surveys – 2- D, 3-D or geo-hazard and Vertical Seismic Profiles – may occur at various times between 2010 and 2017. This document provides a Screening Level Environmental Assessment to allow the Canada- Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) to fulfill its responsibilities under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. During the course of the environmental assessment, Husky Energy consulted with stakeholders with an interest in the Project. Husky Energy and consultants undertook a consultation program with the interested stakeholders in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Nain, Rigolet, Postville, Hopedale, Cartwright, Makkovik and Sheshatshiu, as well as consultation with regulatory agencies and other stakeholders in St. John‟s. As per the Scoping Document issued by the C-NLOPB, the valued ecosystem components (VECs) include Species at Risk (both those listed under the Species at Risk Act Schedule 1 and under consideration by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada), Marine Fish and Fish Habitat, Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles, Marine Birds, Commercial Fisheries and Sensitive Areas. The biological environment is described in terms of these six VECs. The physical environment is also described, including the metocean conditions and sea ice and icebergs. The existing environment descriptions draw heavily on the Labrador Shelf Strategic Environmental Assessment (Sikumiut 2008), with information updated where more recent data exist. Environmental management measures (i.e., mitigative measures) include a Marine Mammal Observer(s) (MMO(s)) on board the vessel(s) to provide proper identification of marine mammals and species at risk for mitigation purposes and to collect opportunistic data on marine mammal behaviours and distribution with and without air guns operating. Seabird observations will also be collected. In addition, mitigation measures will be applied as set out in the “Geophysical, Geological, Environmental and Geotechnical Program Guidelines” (C-NLOPB 2008), which incorporates verbatim the Statement of Canadian Practice on Mitigation of Seismic Noise in the Marine Environment. Plans will be developed to avoid or lessen any potential effects on the commercial fishery. These plans will include elements such as good communications (e.g., fishery broadcast notifications and Notices to Shipping), a dedicated Fisheries Liaison Officer (FLO) on the vessel(s), a Single Point of Contact, use of a picket vessel, avoidance of areas during times of heavy fixed gear use, and a fishing gear damage compensation program. With the application of mitigative measures, this environmental assessment predicts that potential adverse environmental effects on the above VECs will be of low magnitude, short duration and range from localized to regional in extent. The extent of potential physically harmful sound levels occurs within approximately 1 m of the air gun source. Potential cumulative environmental effects external to the Project include seismic program(s) by other operators, commercial and traditional fishing, marine transportation and tourism/recreation. The potential exists that the other seismic survey(s) could occur concurrently, resulting in a temporal overlap with the Project (there would be no immediate EC-HSE-SY-0003 Page i of xv Labrador Shelf Seismic Program – Environmental Assessment spatial overlap as there must be enough distance between streamers as to avoid interfering with data acquisition by individual vessels); therefore, there is some potential for cumulative environmental effects with the Project in this context. As access of non-Project vessels within close proximity the source vessel will be restricted during the seismic survey, the residual cumulative environmental effect with noise and traffic external to the Project will be negligible. Compared to existing vessel traffic in the area, the incremental amount of vessel traffic as a result of this Project will be negligible. Cumulative environmental effects resulting from any of the Project activities will not be additive or cumulative because the Project activities are transitory. With the implementation of mitigative measures and the limited spatial (and potentially temporal – if the programs are not run concurrently) overlap with other projects and activities, the residual cumulative environmental effect of the Project in conjunction with other projects and activities is predicted to be not significant. The potential of accidental events is limited to release of the flotation fluid (unless solid core streamers are used), or a diesel spill in the unlikely events of a seismic vessel sinking or a collision with another vessel. Given how unlikely these events are, and the mitigative measures that will be applied to the Project (including an FLO, on-board spill response plan and equipment), the residual environmental effect of an accident or malfunction is predicted to be not significant. As noted previously, MMO(s) will be on board the vessel(s) to provide identification of marine mammals and sea turtles (including species at risk) for mitigation purposes and to collect opportunistic data on marine mammal behaviours and distribution with and without air guns operating. Seabird observations will also be conducted. The observer will report any dead birds on board the vessel. As well, routine checks will be done for stranded birds that may have been attracted to vessel lighting. Any dead birds will be handled and documented as per a required Bird Salvage Permit and Husky‟s procedures on this topic that are on file with the C-NLOPB. Given the application of planned mitigative measures, significant adverse environmental effects, including cumulative environmental effects, are not predicted to result from the Project. Residual Adverse Probability of Level of VEC Environmental Effect Occurrence Confidence Rating (Likelihood) Species at Risk Not Significant Moderate na Marine Fish Not Significant High na Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles Not Significant High na Marine Birds Not Significant High na Commercial Fisheries Not Significant High na Sensitive Areas Not Significant High na na = likelihood is only indicated for those VECs that have a significant residual adverse environmental effect rating. EC-HSE-SY-0003 Page ii of xv Labrador Shelf Seismic Program – Environmental Assessment Table of Contents Page No. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. i 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 2.0 RELEVANT LEGISLATION AND REGULATORY APPROVALS .................................... 3 2.1 Relevant Legislation ................................................................................................ 3 2.2 Scope of the Assessment ........................................................................................ 3 2.2.1 Scope of the Project .................................................................................................... 4 2.2.2 Factors to be Considered ............................................................................................ 4 2.3 Consultation ............................................................................................................ 5 2.3.1 Consultation with Communities and Key Stakeholders .............................................. 6 2.3.2 Consultation with Regulators ...................................................................................... 7 2.4 The Operator ........................................................................................................... 7 2.4.1 Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Benefits ........................................................... 8 2.4.2 Husky‟s Environmental Management System ............................................................ 8 2.4.3 Contacts .................................................................................................................... 10 2.4.3.1 Executive Contact Information ................................................................ 10 2.4.3.2 Geophysical Contact ............................................................................... 10 2.4.3.3 Environmental Contact ............................................................................ 10 3.0 PROPOSED PROJECT ...................................................................................................11 3.1 Name and Location ................................................................................................11