CFG ENERGY PTE. LTD. M15 Block Seismic Survey M YANMAR INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION (IEE) ARTELIA EAU & ENVIRONNEMENT Unité Risques, Société & Environnement Immeuble Le First 2, avenue Lacassagne 69 425 LYON Cedex 03 - FRANCE Tel. : +33 (0)4 37 65 38 00 Fax : +33 (0)4 37 65 38 01 DATE: 07/2015 REF: 8541172 M15 Block Seismic Survey M y a n m a r INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION (IEE) QUALITY CONTROL Project Description Name of the project M15 Block Seismic Survey Reference of the project 8541172 Client CFG Energy Pte. Ltd. Location of the project Republic of The Union of Myanmar Type of document Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) Study performed by Artelia Eau & Environment – RSE Unit Name Date Signature Checked by Maud DELLONG 02/07/2015 Approved & Controlled Mark MCLELLAN 14/06/2015 by List of Review Version N° Document N° Date Description Rev-0 0 15/05/2015 Draft report Rev-1 1 14/06/2015 Final Draft report Rev 2 2 26/06/2015 Finat report Rev 3 3 02/07/2015 Final report Distribution List Version N° Document N° Copy N° Addresses Rev-0 0 0 CFG Energy Pte. Ltd. Rev-1 1 1 CFG Energy Pte. Ltd. Rev-2 2 2 CFG Energy Pte. Ltd. Rev 3 3 3 CRG Energy Pte. Ltd. ARTELIA Eau & Environment Unité Risque-Société-Environnement (RSE) Immeuble Le First – 2, avenue Lacassagne 69 425 Lyon Cedex Tel.: +33 (0)4 37 65 38 77 Fax: +33 (0)4 37 65 38 01 8541172 / 07/2015 i M15 Block Seismic Survey M y a n m a r INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION (IEE) CONTENTS 0. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY _____________________________________________________ 10 0.1. INTRODUCTION ____________________________________________________________ 10 0.2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION _____________________________________________________ 11 0.3. POLICY AND REGULATORY CONTEXT ________________________________________ 12 0.4. DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURAL AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT ____________________ 12 0.4.1. Physical environment ________________________________________________________ 12 0.4.2. Biological environment ______________________________________________________ 13 0.4.3. Socio-economic environment _________________________________________________ 13 0.4.4. Summary of Environmental and Social Sensitivities ______________________________ 14 0.5. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS__________________________________________________ 14 0.5.1. Impacts of Underwater Seismic Pulses on Marine Fauna ___________________________ 15 0.5.1.1. DISTURBANCE TO BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES ____________________________________ 15 0.5.1.2. DISTURBANCE TO PLANKTONIC ORGANISMS ____________________________________ 15 0.5.1.3. DISTURBANCE TO FISH POPULATIONS __________________________________________ 15 0.5.1.4. DISTURBANCE TO MARINE TURTLES ___________________________________________ 16 0.5.1.5. DISTURBANCE TO MARINE MAMMALS __________________________________________ 16 0.5.2. Impacts from artificial lighting ________________________________________________ 16 0.5.3. Collisions and entanglements with marine fauna _________________________________ 16 0.5.4. Other possible environmental impacts __________________________________________ 16 0.6. SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS _________________________________________________ 17 0.6.1. Disturbance to fishing activities _______________________________________________ 17 0.6.2. Disturbance to shipping activities _____________________________________________ 17 0.7. RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES _____________________________________ 20 0.7.1. Impacts of underwater seismic pulses on marine fauna ___________________________ 20 0.7.2. Impacts of lighting on vessels on marine fauna __________________________________ 20 0.7.3. Collisions and entanglements with marine fauna _________________________________ 20 0.7.4. Disturbance to benthic habitats _______________________________________________ 21 0.7.5. Atmospheric emissions from vessels __________________________________________ 21 0.7.6. Invasive marine species ______________________________________________________ 22 0.7.7. Marine pollution from routine discharges _______________________________________ 22 0.7.8. Marine pollution from accidents and emergencies ________________________________ 22 0.7.9. Disturbance to fishing activities _______________________________________________ 22 0.7.10. Disturbance to shipping activities _____________________________________________ 23 0.8. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ___________________________ 23 0.9. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS _____________________________________ 23 1. INTRODUCTION _____________________________________________________________ 25 1.1. COMMERCIAL AND REGULATORY CONTEXT ___________________________________ 25 1.2. PROJECT LOCATION _______________________________________________________ 25 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ____________________________________________________ 27 2.1. LOCATION OF SEISMIC SURVEY ______________________________________________ 27 2.2. SURVEY SCHEDULE ________________________________________________________ 27 2.3. DESCRIPTION OF MARINE SEISMIC DATA ACQUISITION _________________________ 27 2.4. SEISMIC ACQUISITION EQUIPMENT ___________________________________________ 28 2.4.1. Survey and Support Vessels __________________________________________________ 28 2.4.2. Seismic Source for 3D survey _________________________________________________ 30 2.4.2.1. PRINCIPLES OF UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS _____________________________________ 31 2.4.2.2. ACOUSTICS OF THE SEISMIC SOURCE __________________________________________ 33 2.4.2.3. ACOUSTICS ATTENUATION IN WATER AND SOUND SPREADING ____________________ 34 2.4.3. Streamers _________________________________________________________________ 36 2.4.3.1. VESSEL STEERING AND POSITIONING __________________________________________ 37 2.4.3.2. ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT AND ONSHORE SUPPORT _______________________________ 38 8541172 / 07/2015 i M15 Block Seismic Survey M y a n m a r INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION (IEE) 2.4.3.3. POSITIONING SYSTEMS_______________________________________________________ 39 2.4.3.4. ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT _____________________________________________________ 39 2.5. POLICY AND REGULATORY CONTEXT ________________________________________ 39 2.5.1. International agreements and conventions ______________________________________ 39 2.5.2. National environmental legislation _____________________________________________ 42 2.5.3. Environmental and social impact assessment legislation __________________________ 47 2.5.4. International Guidelines and Standards used for this study ________________________ 47 2.6. EMISSIONS, DISCHARGE AND WASTE INVENTORY _____________________________ 50 2.6.1. Acoustic Emissions _________________________________________________________ 50 2.6.2. Atmospheric Emissions ______________________________________________________ 51 2.6.3. Water Discharges ___________________________________________________________ 52 2.6.3.1. DOMESTIC AND SANITARY WASTEWATER _______________________________________ 52 2.6.3.2. DECK AND BILGE WATER _____________________________________________________ 52 2.6.4. Hazardous and non-hazardous waste __________________________________________ 53 2.7. IMPACT PRODUCING FACTORS ______________________________________________ 54 3. PROJECT PROPONENT DETAILS ___________________________________________ 55 4. INFORMATION ON EXPERTS _______________________________________________ 59 5. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT _____________________________________ 60 5.1. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ___________________________________________________ 60 5.1.1. Geomorphology and seismology ______________________________________________ 61 5.1.1.1. GEOMORPHOLOGY __________________________________________________________ 61 5.1.1.2. SEISMOLOGY _______________________________________________________________ 63 5.1.1.3. GEOLOGY __________________________________________________________________ 64 5.1.2. Meteorological Conditions ____________________________________________________ 65 5.1.2.1. TEMPERATURE ______________________________________________________________ 68 5.1.2.2. RAINFALL ___________________________________________________________________ 68 5.1.2.3. HUMIDITY ___________________________________________________________________ 69 5.1.2.4. WIND _______________________________________________________________________ 69 5.1.2.5. VULNERABILITY TO NATURAL HAZARDS ________________________________________ 70 5.1.3. Regional Oceanography _____________________________________________________ 72 5.1.3.1. BATHYMETRY _______________________________________________________________ 72 5.1.3.2. WATER MASSES AND PROPERTIES ____________________________________________ 72 5.1.3.3. CURRENTS AND CIRCULATION PATTERNS ______________________________________ 74 5.1.3.4. WINDS _____________________________________________________________________ 75 5.1.3.5. STORM, CYCLONES AND TORNADOES __________________________________________ 77 5.1.4. Sediment __________________________________________________________________ 77 5.1.5. Seawater __________________________________________________________________ 78 5.1.5.1. SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY ________________________ 78 5.1.5.2. NUTRIENTS _________________________________________________________________ 79 5.1.5.3. CHLOROPHYLL-A ____________________________________________________________ 80 5.2. BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT _________________________________________________ 84 5.2.1. Offshore Environment _______________________________________________________ 84 5.2.1.1. OFFSHORE FLORA - PHYTOPLANKTON _________________________________________