Book Description

"This report presents a preliminary assessment of the risks to the Arctic environment due to oil spills from petroleum production and transportation activities. The study has used probability analysis techniques to identify environmental risks for the proposed Arctic resource development projects. Systems being considered for use in these developments have been reviewed to identify risk areas and to provide information and recommendations for the improvement of safety and reliability. ... For the purposes of analysis of the production systems, the study area has been divided into four regions: Beaufort Sea, Shallow Water; Beaufort Sea, Deep Water; Arctic Islands; Labrador Sea. The selection of the most likely Arctic petroleum production and transportation systems in these regions has been based on interviews and discussions with industry representatives and on a review of relevant publications. ... Similarly, the number of wells and production levels have been based on discussions and judgement for each region. Production capacities used in the study are intended to represent early stages of development. The transportation system assumed for this production is base on a fleet of eight tankers each of 200,000 DWT with double hulls, ice reinforced. ... Components in the production and transportation systems were reviewed to identify the associated hazards. In production, the causes of oil spills were classified in to the following categories: Blowouts, Rig Spills, Other System Spills, Pipeline Spills. In transportation, the causes of spills were identified in the following categories: Collision, Grounding, Structural Failure, Other. For each of these causes of oil spills, available statistical data were reviewed and modified for application to arctic development. ... The probability analysis indicates that, considering the accuracy of the data base, the four regions have about the same level of oil spill risk. Overall, on a per well-year basis, the Beaufort Sea Deep system is shown to be safest, followed by Beaufort Sea Shallow, Arctic Islands and Labrador Sea systems. In general, the oil spill risk for the production systems is substantially lower than the oil spill risk for tanker transport. This is particularly noted for large spills. Pipelines are also identified as a major source of spills. For the Arctic Islands system, the proposed subsea pipeline creates significant risks. To assess the environmental impacts of the oil spills identified in the probability analyses, nine hypothetical spill sites were selected. ... and included the following sites: Mackenzie Bay, Beaufort Sea, Armstrong Point, Viscount Melville Sound, Sverdrup Basin, Allison Inlet, Cape Liddon, Cape Hay, Cape Harrison. Potential impacts were considered at each site in each season for the following resource groups: Plankton and Invertebrates, Fish, Birds, Marine Mammals. Impacts on resource utilization, hunting and fishing were also considered. To establish the movement and maximum surface extent of the oil spills, elementary slick modelling was used with conservative assumptions to give a worst case trajectory for each site. Impact levels were based on a simplified classification system of major, moderate, minor and negligible. ... Site by site descriptions of the probable impacts on the marine environment are presented in the appendices. The study concludes that with anticipated advances in technology to provide adequate protection against the hazards, there should be no insurmountable obstacles to arctic production and transportation of petroleum"--ASTIS [online] bibliography.