Presentation #8 of 9: Steniar Eldoy of Statoil from Ecofys shares Netherlands experience in environmental impact monitoring , lessons learned and future perspective

1. Bird monitoring at Dudgeon Offshore Windfarm
– building on experience from Norway and elsewhere
Steinar Eldøy, Statoil
2015-03-16Classification: Internal

2. DOW Ornithological Monitoring Programme (OMP)
Initial Marine Licence conditions
• Species mentioned as being of paricular importance:
− Sandwich Tern [Sterna sandvicensis], [Northern] Gannet [Morus bassanus], Lesser
Black-backed Gull [Larus fuscus] and [Northern] Fulmar [Fulmarus glacialis]
• Timing of the studies
− Pre-construction – one year
− Construction – over as many years as undertaken
− Post-construction – three years
Initial proposal
Duplicate studies at Sherringham Shoal (traditional boat based surveys + visual tracking by ribs)
(Licence condition now amended to focus on Sandwich Terns)
Classification: Internal 2013-03-112

3. Key principles and questions to consider
• The OMP should apply methods that are sufficiently scientifically robust to detect
and understand potential impacts, and differentiate changes from spatial and
temporal natural variations.
• Reliable data for validation of collision risk modelling – are technologies for
assessing actual collision rates available?
• Could coordinated efforts with other projects and scientific entities contribute
more to increased knowledge on actual impacts from offshore wind than
independent project specific studies?
• Are spatial and temporal population data and their natural variations sufficiently
known?
• Would a SEAPOP/SEATRACK approach benefit the offshore wind industry?
• Could new technologies for tracking movements/migration of birds add value?
• Cost effectiveness – value for money (knowledge for money)
2013-11-053 Classification: Internal

4. Preliminary evaluation
• It is highly questionable whether the approach using boat based surveys (or aerial
surveys) provide a scientifically solid basis for evaluating actual impacts, at least
impacts on population level. Changes in at sea densities may not be attributed to
the presence of the windfarm.
• Validation of collision modelling based on density figures alone questionable –
tracking of individual birds and their flight pattern may be helpful.
• Lack of information/knowledge on where (which colonies) birds at sea are comming
from (perhaps with the exception of Sandwhich Tern) makes any evaluation of
impacts on populations impossible.
• Surveys of fish (acoustic methods and demersal trawling) as a means to linking
results of ornithological monitoring, with monitoring of their prey, questionable.
• Costs are high (value/knowledge for money low).
2013-11-054 Classification: Internal

5. Possible use of new tracking technologies?
New and improved technologies for geo-location provide opportunities for
significantly improved understanding of bird movements and migration, including the
connectivity between breeding colonies and feeding grounds.
• Satellite transmitters –
provide real time data transmission.
• GLS loggers - suitable for determining large scale
movements and population/colony connectivity,
limited accuracy (± 180 km).
• GPS loggers – give accurate location (± 1 m) data,
which are stored and need to be down loaded onshore.
2013-11-055 Classification: Internal

6. The Norwegian seabird program - SEAPOP
• Updating sebird baseline data repetedly requested (late 1990ies) when the oil
industry was preparing environmental risk assessments and impact assessments
for different exploration and development plans
• Seabird data old and outdated (10-15+ years)
• Limitation in knowledge of seabird ecology, in particular
− Populations
− Dynamics
− Causes for changes (impact mechanisms)
• Different seabird mapping, monitoring and research activities lacked coordination
• Difficulties in accessing data on seabirds
2015-03-166 Classification: Internal

7. Statoil’s initiative
• Statoil engaged NINA (the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research) to develop a
proposal for a national seabird programme in 1999 (as a part of the preparations for
the 16. offshore oil and gas consession round in Norway) aiming at
− Developing a consept for filling knowledge gaps
− Improve the understanding of natural variability and improve the basis for
distinguishing between natural variations and impacts of oil spills and other
anthropogenic factors
− Coordinate efforts related to seabird mapping, monitoring and research within
the industry
− Highlight possible synergies in joining efforts between the industry,
environmental authorities and research
− Improve accessability to data and knowledge on seabirds
2015-03-167 Classification: Internal

8. SEAPOP consept development and implementation
• A first consept report titled SEAPOP – Seabird Population Management and
Petroleum Operations (Seabird Population Management and Petroleum
Operations) 2001
• Dialogue with environmental authorities resulted in the consepc proposal being
adopted as an idea for a joint effort between authorities, industry and research – a
national Norwegian seabird programme
• Implementation started 2005, funded by the Norwegian Oil and Gas Assossiation
• The authorities joined from 2006, and has since then covered approximately 85%
of the costs (Ministry of Environment and Climate + Ministry of Oil and Energy)
• Steering committee apponted by the Ministry of Environment (differents authority
agencies and the Norwegian Oil and Gas Assossiation)
• Implemented jointly by NINA, Norwegian Polar Research Institute, Tromsø
Museum)
2015-03-168 Classification: Internal

9. 2015-03-169 Classification: Internal

10. 2015-03-1610 Classification: Internal

11. 2015-03-1611 Classification: Internal

12. 2015-03-1612 Classification: Internal

13. SEAPOP Key Sites
2015-03-1613 Classification: Internal

14. 2015-03-1614 Classification: Internal

15. 2015-03-1615 Classification: Internal

16. Sattelite tagging of Ivory Gulls
2015-03-1616 Classification: Internal

17. Kittiwake – winter distribution
2015-03-1617 Classification: Internal

18. SEAPOP and SEATRACK
• SEAPOP is national Norwegian programme for mapping and monitoring of seabird
populations, originally initiated by Statoil in cooperation with NINA (the Norwegian
Intitute for Nature Research) http://www.seapop.no/no/
• SEATRAK is an addition intending to track movements of seabirds at sea outside
the breeding season (funing from the Ministry of Environments, the Foreign Ministry
and industry)
− Started 2014
− Include one UK colony (Isle of May),
where 7 species will be equiped with GLS
loggers (Guillemot, Puffin, Kittiwake, Lesser
Black-backed Gull, Fulmar, Herring Gull
and Shag)
2013-11-0518 Classification: Internal

19. 2015-03-1619 Classification: Internal

20. SEATRACK - species
2015-03-1620 Classification: Internal

21. SEATRACK – colonies
2015-03-1621 Classification: Internal

22. 2015-03-1622 Classification: Internal

23. 2013-11-0523 Classification: Internal

24. Guillemots from Isle of May – GLS studies
2013-11-0524 Classification: Internal

25. Guillemots from Isle of May – GLS studies
2013-11-0525 Classification: Internal

26. Kittiwake GPS logger studies
2015-03-1626 Classification: Internal

27. GPS logger - Sandwich Tern
2013-11-0527 Classification: Internal

28. GPS logger - Sandwich Tern
2013-11-0528 Classification: Internal

29. 2013-11-0529 Classification: Internal

30. Presentation title
Presenters name
Presenters title
E-mail address ……@statoil.com
Tel: +4700000000
www.statoil.com
2015-03-1630 Classification: Internal

31. Backup slildes
2015-03-1631 Classification: Internal

32. Chukchi Sea Environmental Studies Program
• Initiated by ConocoPhillips and Shell in
2008. Statoil joined since in 2010.
• Multi-year scientific study following an
ecosystem approach.
• Most comprehensive science program
in the Arctic.
• More than 145 people are working on
this program from 10 different
universities and companies.
• Data shared with NOAA and other
agencies.
.

33. Disciplines
• Oceanographic moorings
• Physical oceanography
• Micro/phytoplankton
• Nutrients/zooplankton
• Ocean acidification
• Baseline chemistry
• Benthic ecology
• Fish ecology
• Seabird ecology
• Marine mammal ecology
• Passive acoustics

34. Main Findings
• Chukchi not homogeneous & highly variable
between study areas, seasonally and inter-
annually.
• It all starts with currents, bathymetry and ice.
• Plankton highly variable between year,
influenced by inflow from the Pacific.
• No large fish collected.
• Seabirds as other groups – highly variable
34 -Classifi
cation:
Zooplankton Ecology
Arctic Cod
Hamecon

35. Classification: Internal
Europipe Gas Pipeline – Landfall North Germany
• Extensive tidal mud flats
• Sensitive breeding habitats for birds
• Important areas for seals