TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada

PROJECT DESCRIPTION FOR

2D MARINE SEISMIC SURVEY
OFFSHORE NORTHEAST COAST OF CANADA
TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada

Authors: Darlene Davis, Kent Simpson, Tom Neugabaur

Date: January 8, , 2011

1. Purpose of the Project Description

The purpose of this document is to provide a Project Description to the National Energy
Board as part of the environmental assessment to obtain a Geophysical Work
authorization to acquire seismic exploration data within Baffin Bay, Davis Strait in 2011.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s Operational Policy Statement (OPS-

EPO/5-2000) describes the purpose of the Project Description as twofold:

1) To determine the need for an environmental assessment. In other words, the

Project Description assists a federal authority to determine whether it has a
decision-making responsibility (e.g. to issue a permit) that triggers the need
for an assessment of the project.

The National Energy Board (NEB) is a federal authority which must issue an
authorization for the TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA Canada 2011
proposed survey, because this type of project is included on the CEAA
inclusion List Regulations (SOR/94-637), but not on the Comprehensive
Study List Regulations (SOR/94-638), the Board is required to ensure that a
screening is conducted.

2) To promote efficient coordination of the environmental assessment, in other

words, to identify the federal authorities that will be involved in the
environmental assessment, either in a decision making role or as an expert
department.

In addition to determining whether it will likely require an environmental

assessment of the project under the CEAA, the federal authority receiving the
Project Description (in this case, the NEB) also distributes the Description to
other federal authorities which may also have a responsibility or interest, and
therefore need to be notified under the regulations.
TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada

2. Project Description
The following project description follows the format and content recommended in the
Agency’s Operational Policy Statement “Preparing Project Descriptions under the
Canadian Environmental Assessment Act: (OPS-EPO/5-2000). Table 1 (Sample Outline
of a Detailed Project Description), where relevant for the type of project proposed.

1. General Information

Nature of the project 2D Marine Seismic Exploration Survey.

TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA (TGS)
& Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) proposes to
conduct a 2D marine seismic exploration survey
project offshore, Baffin Bay, Davis Strait within
the regulatory jurisdiction of the NEB.
Project Name TGS/PGS 2011 NorthEastern Canada
Proposed location The proposed survey program covers a specific
area within Baffin Bay, Davis Strait. The survey
area is illustrated in Figure 1 – Full Survey area
map.
All lines within the entire survey are outside the
Canada 12 mile nautical limit.
All lines extend from beyond the Land Fast Ice
area to the Canada/Greenland International
Boundary, or Greenland’s 200 nautical mile
Exclusive Economic zone (EEZ), as applicable.
There are no lines within the land fast ice area.

Distribution List Chief Conservation & Safety Officer

Environmental Specialist, Exploration &
Production
National Energy Board
444-7th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 0X8
Phone: (403) 292-4800
Fax: (403) 292-5876

Information on Consultations Consultations will commence On Jan. 10th, 2011 in

Nunavut with the following groups:
Dept Economic Development & Transportation
TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada

Department of Environment
Environmental Protection Division
Fisheries & Sealings DivisionDepartment of
Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)Indian Northern
Affairs Canada (INAC) Canadian Northern
Economic Development AgencyNunavut
Research Institution
Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA)
Baffin Fisheries Coalition (Rescheduled
Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Habitat Mgmt

During these meetings and presentations,

information will be exchanged about the survey
and area fisheries, and issues and mitigations
identified for the assessment.

Meetings are currently being set-up for a

following up visit with the following HTO
groups;
Clyde River – NAMAUTAQ
Iqaluit HTA – AMARUQ
Kimmirut HTA – MAYUKALIK
Pangnirtung HTA
Pond Inlet HTA – MITTAMATALIK
Qikiqtarjuaq HTA – NATTIVAK

Other applicable EA regimes Nunavut Planning Commission, application to

determine conformity with the North Baffin
Regional Land Use Plan will be subitted to NPC.
Brian Aglukark has been contacted and sent a
copy of this Project Description.
Proponent/co-proponents TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company AS
2500 CityWest Blvd. Suite 2000
Houston, Texas 77042-3018

PGS
Multi Klient Invest AS (Association of PGS)
(An Association of PGS)
15150 Memorial Drive
Houston, Texas, USA
77079

Contacts TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA – Oslo

TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada

Baarsrudveien 2, N-3478 Naersnes

Norway
Contact: Knut Agersborg
Phone: 011-47-6676-9927
Cell: 011-47-9547-8142
Email: [email protected]

Operator and Work Authorization Applicant

Multi Klient Invest AS

(An Association of PGS)
15150 Memorial Drive
Houston, Texas, USA
77079
Contact: Gary Morrow
Tel: (281) 509-8000
Fax: 713-860-2260
Email:[email protected]]

Lead Canadian Consultancy

RPS Energy
1545 Birmingham Street, 2nd Floor
Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2J6
Contact: Darlene Davis
Tel: (902) 492-0281
Cell: (902) 790-1212
Email: [email protected]
Federal involvement Canadian offshore, not within 12 nautical miles
(ownership of the land of any coastline
to be used)
Authorizations required NEB Geophysical Operation Authorization
TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada

2. Project Information
Main project components A conventional 2D seismic spread including a
dedicated survey vessel using a single towed
streamer (PGS Geo Streamer), source array, and
associated survey equipment and personnel.
Project size The survey will be limited to the work area
(Approx 17, 530 linear km) defined by Figure 1,
Project 2D Marine Seismic Exploration Survey
activities
Schedule June 2011 through November 15 2011 as a
function of location, weather conditions, and
vessel availability.

The work is expected to commence in 2011 and

continue on a seasonal basis, requiring
approximately 5 years to complete (the entire
program). It is anticipated that this work will
commence approximately June 2011, depending
on the factors described above. Based on work
completed offshore neighboring Greenland in
recent years, it is expected that operations may be
possible into November. The EA will also assess
the shoulder months to this work season in the
event that favorable conditions exist.
On site land use The vessel will call ports in Canada and /or
Greenland (Nuuk)for crew changes and supply
operations.
Resource /material requirements The resource/material requirements for the
project will consist of those normal in vessel
operations with a crew of approximately 35
professionals operations on a 24-hour basis.
Toxic/hazardous materials to be Toxic and hazardous materials onboard the
uses survey vessel will be those associated with
normal vessel operations (i.e. paints, batteries,
fuels, solvents, etc). All materials will be
properly stored, handled, and managed, with
Material Safety Data sheets (MSDS) retained
onboard and at all pertinent workstations for crew
to have easy access to the hazard information for
all the chemicals and other potentially harmful
substances with which they work. All crew will
have appropriate WHMIS training courses.
Wastes produced The wastes generated during the survey will
consist of those normal in vessel operations.
TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada

These include; atmospheric emissions, ballast

water, bilge water, deck drainage, grey and black
water, and solid waste.
Waste disposal procedures The survey vessel will comply with all applicable
regulations concerning managent of waste and
discharges of materials into the marine
environment.

The survey will be conducted with a dedicated

seismic research vessel. The vessel will have
equipment, systems, and protocols in place for
prevention of pollution by oil, sewage, and
garbage in accordance with international
standards and certification authorities. The vessel
will be subject to pre-survey audits by the
regulators and the operator in the port of
mobilization (St. John’s NF) prior to survey
commencement.

A project safety plan will be developed and

presented for the project based on the model used
for previous work authorization applications to
the boards. The survey vessel will comply with
all applicable regulations concerning the marine
environment.
TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada

3. Project Site Information

Project Location Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, (see Figure 1,
Environmental features The environmental features relative to the
proposed survey area fall under the
physical and biological setting, and these
will be discussed in the Environmental
Assessment. These include the following;

Physical Setting

• Geomorphology
• Ocean Current and Temperature
• Weather and Sea State
• Ice

Biological Setting
• Marine Fish and Invertebrates
• Fish Eggs and Larvae
• Marine Mammals
• Marine Birds
• Plankton
• Benthic Communities
• Species at Risk

Human use (project and adjacent area) The human uses of the survey area may
include:

• Fisheries
• Shipping
• Military
• Exploration
• Recreational
• Research
TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada

Figure 1.- Full Survey Area

TGS/PGS Project Description – Northeast Coast of Canada