Environmental Considerations of Oil & Gas Exploration & Production on Alaska s s North Slope Presented by: Caryn Rea Sr. Staff Biologist Canada-US Oil and Gas Conference Nov 30 Dec 2, 2010
Presentation Outline Characteristics of Alaska s North Slope Technological advances that minimize footprint Role of Environmental Studies Program Data Management Process Stakeholder Relationships & Project Partners Path Forward Slide 2
Alaska s North Slope The Physical Environment A flat, treeless, plain located 400 km north of Arctic Circle North Slope = 230,500 km 2 in area Developed area = 808 km 2 (0.35% of total area) Winter temperatures frequently -30 o C to -40 o C Annual precipitation <250 mm per year Permafrost extends to depth of 500-600 m Slide 3
Alaska s North Slope Socioeconomic Profile 8 Indigenous communities with 8000+ residents Strong traditional subsistence culture North Slope Borough municipal government All Territory above Arctic Circle Energy industry provides 95% of North Slope Borough s property tax revenue Wildlife-rich Alaskan Arctic & highvalue habitat Village of Nuiqsut Slide 4
ConocoPhillips North Slope Operations 28% WI TAPS Pipeline GMTU State Land Slide 5
Advances in North Slope Exploration & Development Understanding the Ecosystem Partnering with agencies, the North Slope Borough, communities & engos, in robust, integrated & comprehensive environmental studies program Traditional Ecological Knowledge Subsistence Harvest for Qaaktaq Exploration - Winter Minimizing Impact Seasonal work: winter exploration & construction Use of temporary ice roads & pads Advances in: equipment design & tundra travel directional & extended reach drilling technology Closed-Loop (contained) drilling Exploration - Summer 2 m Wellhead Slide 6
Drilling Lookout #1, 2001 Rolligon Rig Move Working On Tundra & Ice Low-Impact Tundra Travel - 6 PSI Ice Road Monitors Spill / Drip Cleanup Duck Ponds Ice Pad Slide 7
Extended Reach & Directional Drilling Allows recovery of oil that was not producible with conventional wells due to: Inaccessibility due to physical or environmental obstructions Poor reservoir characteristics Slide 8
North Slope Drillsite Evolution Slide 9
Drillsite Reduction & Subsurface Drillable Acres Slide 10
Role of Environmental Studies Program Baseline Studies & Post-Development Monitoring Permitting: studies required to obtain project permits (exploration & development) Compliance: studies required to comply with permit stipulations Strategic: discretionary studies / collaborative with agencies, academia and/or engos Environmental Studies Drivers Establish baseline & long-term trends Enable science-based decision-making Develop impact mitigation approaches Contribute to project planning & design Site remediation and tundra rehabilitation Enable operational flexibility Build stakeholder trust Enhance credibility & transparency Operating within a biologically diverse and sensitive environment requires a robust, integrated & comprehensive environmental studies program Slide 11
Types of Environmental Studies Wildlife: Bird & mammal abundance & distribution Threatened\Endangered species surveys Forward-Looking Infrared Radar Fisheries: Seasonal movements Distribution & abundance Subsistence fishery harvest Water Source Lake Monitoring: Fisheries Water quality & volume Hydrology: Spring river breakup monitoring Archaeology / Cultural Resources Air Monitoring Tundra Travel & Rehabilitation Slide 12
Long-Term Data Sets: Caribou July 2008 Census: Teshekpuk Herd = 64,200 / Central Arctic Herd = 66,800 70,000 60,000 Teshekpuk Herd Central Arctic Herd TCH and CAH Herd Size 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Slide 13
Caribou Tagging Project Partnership Slide 14
Long-Term Data Sets: Arctic Cisco 72 N Barrow Beaufort Undercurrent Gyre 70 N Colville R. Prudhoe Bay Mackenzie Bay 68 N ALASKA CANADA 160 W 150 W 140 W 130 W Slide 15
Arctic Cisco Project Involves Local Residents 45 40 35 CPUE (fish/net day) 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Slide 16
Long Term Data Sets Tundra Swans Aerial Surveys: distribution & abundance (1960s and 70s) Marking, behavior, productivity, monitoring (1970s & 80s) Return to aerial surveys in 1988 National Geo. JU 75 Source: USFWS, Breeding Pair Surveys Slide 17
Areas Surveyed for Tundra Swans, 1989 2010 Ranged in size from 2,200 6,000 km² annually Initially covered the Greater Kuparuk Area oilfield Expanded to cover the Colville River Delta, NPR-A and other areas of exploration Slide 18
Typical Tundra Swan Nests on the North Slope of Alaska Tundra Swan Nests seen from the air Slide 19
Total Adult Swans and Nests Surveyed in the Greater Kuparuk Area 700 600 Total Adults Nests 500 Number 400 300 200 100 0 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010 Year Slide 20
Long Term Data Sets Yellow Billed Loons Slide 21
Addition of Cameras Monitor nest success Document predators Reduce helicopter flights Slide 22
Red Fox Taking Loon Eggs Loon Nest Slide 23
Loon Nest Slide 24
Ravens Taking Loon Eggs Loon Nest Slide 25
Data Management Process CPAI is a leader in environmental data management for North Slope & OCS projects All data are centrally housed on CPAI server Data delivery & rigorous QC process for contractor submittal Protocols ensure consistency in data for all disciplines Slide 26
Stakeholder Relationships & Project Partners State of Alaska Agencies North Slope Borough Eight NSB villages Bureau of Land Management National Marine Fisheries Service US Fish and Wildlife Service Minerals Management Service Various Marine Mammal Commissions Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission Alaska Beluga Whale Committee Ice Seal Commission Nanuuq Commission Eskimo Walrus Commission Canadian Wildlife Service SeaDuck Joint Venture Slide 27
Addressing Data Needs through Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration D. Troy Your sightings of these marked birds are an important part of this research! HAVE YOU SEEN TAGGED RAVENS? Enter sightings at www.rap.uaf.edu/raven or contact Stacia Backensto 907-699-8099 ftsab@uaf.edu We need the following information: Tag color and 2-letter alpha code Left or right wing Location, date, and time of sighting Behavior Ravens tagged with colored, alpha coded wing tags (pictured here) have been sighted across Alaska. For more information about this project visit our website. Dr. Abby Powell and Stacia Backensto AK Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit 209 Irving Bldg 1, UAF, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7020 J. Klima Example of data for bird shown above: White, NY, Left Wing On Dumpster at XYZ, 1/15/05, 1300 Perched Supported by Coastal Marine Institute, MMS, ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc., BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., BLM, FWS, North Slope Borough Slide 28
Path Forward Continue with studies program Engage with communities and involve local residents in studies Continue to support studies on traditional ecological knowledge Continue to look for opportunities to leverage funding with multiple stakeholder groups Continue to make study reports available through public clearinghouses/libraries Pursue the publication of peerreviewed results in technical journals Contact information: caryn.rea@conocophillips.com Slide 29