Kimberley Cetacean Survey Online

Read Kimberley Whale Watching's 2011 Cetacean Survey Report online

Open publication - Free publishing - More broome

Browse up for review

Energy News Bulletin

Browse up for review

Bevis Yeo Tuesday, 15 November 2011 WOODSIDE Petroleum is confident of managing the risk to fisheries, marine fauna and flora under the greatest threat from development of the upstream component of its $A30 billion Browse LNG project. Illustration of the Browse LNG upstream facilities Map of the Browse LNG fields Image courtesy Woodside Petroleum Browse LNG retention leases Image courtesy Woodside Petroleum In its environmental impact statement, Woodside said the development of the Torosa, Brecknock and Calliance fields did not represent a significant threat to any listed or migratory species and management response measures were in place in the event an unplanned incident like a spill occurred. Woodside said 50-90 wells would be drilled over the project life. They will be connected to manifolds (four at Torosa, two at Calliance and one at Brecknock), which will be connected in turn through flowlines to their respective infield platforms. The platforms will be connected to the central processing facility, which will comprise up to four platforms located on the continental shelf in 80-120m of water. Gas and condensate will be processed at the facility before it is sent by about 310km of pipeline to the LNG plant at James Price Point. The upstream facilities will tap the 13.3 trillion cubic feet of gas and 360 million barrels of condensate believed to be present in the three fields. While most of the expected impacts are classed as low risk, Woodside noted local fisheries faced a medium risk through exclusion zones around platforms and drill rigs, though the total area is expected to be small. Woodside also carried out tests to determine the impact of light from the Torosa platform on marine turtles and concluded maximum light levels reaching Sandy Islet would appear to be no more than a small lit object, which Woodside said would not influence nesting behaviour of adult turtles. However, the company said it had started a long-term monitoring program of turtles on the island to identify impacts from the development. Noise produced during the construction of the project, vessel movements and operational activities were also assessed and while most were found to be of low risk to cetaceans, uncertainty over the noise from the subsea choke valves in the channel between the north and south reefs at Scott reef led Woodside to conclude it presented a medium risk to cetaceans until more data became available. Woodside said besides carrying out measurements of the noise, it would also investigate insulation methods to reduce the noise produced by fluids through the chokes. Other risks brought up by the report included the high possibility vessels and rigs might bring in invasive species – though Woodside said its comprehensive management plan made the likelihood low – and changes in water quality due to elevated suspended sediment from pipeline trenching works. The study also examined the reasons behind the Browse joint venture’s decision to drop development alternatives. Woodside said the Browse to Darwin option was dropped in 2007 due to the higher cost of running a long pipeline, while an option to build a liquefaction facility in the shallow water of the southern lagoon of Scott reef was deemed to be environmentally unacceptable. Floating LNG was also dropped due to the need for multiple facilities to efficiently recover gas from the fields. Woodside acknowledged the option to pipe gas to the Burrup peninsula, widely considered to be the most viable alternative to developing Browse LNG at James Price Point, did not pose unmanageable environmental issues though it raised the possibility that issues related to the cumulative impacts on the Burrup peninsula might present challenges for the option. The EIS represents 17 years of research that has shed new light on Western Australia’s northern offshore ecosystems. “Browse represents a major opportunity for Australia to meet the world’s growing demand for cleaner forms of energy,” Woodside Browse senior vice president Michael Hession said. “It is likely to be a major part of Woodside’s growth as an energy supplier. “We are also working closely with traditional owners to make sure that Kimberley indigenous people can realise the economic and social development opportunities from this project.” Browse LNG is expected to generate up to $50 billion for the Australian economy and create up to 8000 jobs, 6000 onshore and 2000 offshore, during construction. The 12 million tonnes per annum LNG project is expected to be approved next year, with first production in 2017

Murdoch researchers slam gas hub report

Updated November 11, 2011 15:29:42

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-11/university-scientists-condemn-environmental-report-on-kimberley/3660968

A key document examining the potential impact on marine mammals of a proposed liquefied natural gas precinct near Broome has drawn criticism from scientists.

A team from Murdoch University's Cetacean Research Unit says it has very little confidence in the report's scientific integrity and what it calls its "unfounded" conclusions.

The "Strategic Assessment Report", prepared by the Department of State Development, is designed to provide advice to the State and Federal governments on whether to give final approval to the gas hub which would span 3,530 hectares of land and sea at James Price Point, north of Broome.

The document's many findings include a prediction that activities associated with the LNG hub are unlikely to have an impact on dolphins in the area because the animals are likely to exhibit avoidance responses such as faster dive times and high-speed swimming.

The report also found that dugongs are not likely to be affected by a loss of seagrass due to dredging because they will relocate to adjacent areas to look for food.

On the subject of the estimated 13-thousand humpback whales that migrate through the area each year, the report found they successfully cross shipping corridors with little evidence of vessel strikes further south at Port Hedland and Dampier ports.

But, in a scathing submission, four scientists from Murdoch's Cetacean Research Unit have questioned many of the report's findings.

"There has been no targeted effort to identify and quantify the abundance of dolphin species ... this is a glaring omission in the Environmental Impact Assessment," the submission says.

"Thus the conclusion that the activities associated with the development of the precinct port area is unlikely to impact these species (humpback dolphin, snubfin dolphin) is unsubstantiated and based on field efforts that were aimed at quantifying humpback whale and dugong numbers only."

The unit's Amanda Hodgson told the ABC that a Murdoch University research team had recorded multiple groups of snubfin, Indo-Pacfic humpback and bottlenose dolphins just north and south of James Price Point during a boat-based survey in July last year.

"The coastal dolphins that we know occur along the Dampier Peninsula include humpback and snubfin dolphins and both of those species generally have small populations, small home ranges and they rely on very specific habitats ... so they can't just avoid the area if they're disturbed by this development," she said.

"The broad conclusions that they've come to are not necessarily supported by the scientific literature."

The report's assessment of the impact on dugongs has also been questioned by the Murdoch team which cited the case of Hervey Bay in Queensland where they say the widespread loss of seagrass from a cyclone resulted in the death and emigration of many dugongs.

On the subject of humpback whales, the scientists argue many of the findings in the report are "unreliable".

They have described the report's prediction that whales will successfully cross shipping corridors as "inappropriate" because it is based on a study of just three, satellite-tagged whales traversing the Port Hedland and Dampier Port areas in September, 2010.

"We certainly know that humpback whales get hit by boats and are disturbed by boats," Dr Hodgson said.

"There's plenty of literature to suggest that the impact of boat strikes is significant on humpback whales."

The Department of State Development has defended the report, saying it is based on the findings of work by reputable scientists.

The department says it has received more than 11,000 submissions since the report was released for public comment late last year and that draft responses have been prepared for about 1,000 issues raised in the submissions.

The State's Environmental Protection Authority is expected to make a recommendation to the WA Environment Minister, Bill Marmion, on whether the gas hub should go ahead, and under what conditions, in February.

The project also needs to be approved by the Federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke.

IFAW Releases new Cetacean Report

(Sydney) - Australia’s last great whale haven, the North West marine region, is under threat from unconstrained development by the oil and gas industry, and the Australian Government’s proposed Bioregional Plan offers little protection, according to a new report released today by IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfarewww.ifaw.org).

The report, written and reviewed by some of Australia’s leading marine scientists, reveals that this relatively untouched area has an incredible diversity of whales and dolphins. It also identifies several important areas for whales and dolphins that are not protected under the government’s draft plan.  The report underscores the need for more protected areas and further research about the animals that live there.

“At the same time as the government has opened its token map of reserves for public comment, it is handing out vast tracts of ocean to oil and gas companies,” said Matt Collis, IFAW Oceania Campaigner.
 
“The rampant oil and gas development in the region has brought significant threats to whales and dolphins, including endangered species.  It is noisy, toxic, and dangerous and when something goes wrong it can be catastrophic, as evidenced by the Montara oil spill.

“With the future of Australia’s last great whale haven in their hands, the government and industry have an immense responsibility to provide more stringent protection measures. Before any new leases are issued we are calling for more protected areas, more transparent research and stronger policies addressing the industry threats such as increased shipping, pollution and noise,” Mr Collis said.

Some 32 different species of whales and dolphins live in or migrate through the area, including the recently discovered Australian snubfin dolphin and the world’s largest, yet still recovering, population of humpback whales. The government’s draft plan effectively ignores 28 species by only taking into consideration four species and even the level of protection offered to these four is inadequate.

“All the indications are that this is an incredibly special region.  To jeopardise the area before we fully understand it is like throwing away a gift before unwrapping it,” said Mr Collis.
Support IFAW’s call for greater protection at www.ifaw.org, find us on facebook.com/ifawoceania
Note
• A summary of the report is available here and a full version can be found here.
• IFAW is part of an alliance of conservation organisations pushing for greater protection for marine areas - www.saveourtropicalsealife.org


For media-related inquiries, contact:
Imogen Scott (IFAW Oceania)
Tel: + 0402 183 113
Email: iscott@ifaw.org