Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and spill modelling for ExxonMobil Newfoundland offshore exploration drilling
ExxonMobil Canada Ltd. (ExxonMobil) is proposing to conduct an exploration drilling project within offshore exploration licenses located in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin and the Flemish Pass Basin, approximately 250 kilometers east of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The proposed Eastern Newfoundland Offshore Exploration Drilling Project would take place over a 12-year period, commencing in 2018 and would allow ExxonMobil to determine the presence, nature and quantities of the potential hydrocarbon resource.
Key Details
Project Name
ExxonMobil Eastern Newfoundland Offshore Exploration Drilling
Client
ExxonMobil
Location
- Offshore Newfoundland, Canada
Sectors
- Ports
- Water management
- Oil and gas
Challenge
RPS was contracted to provide support and modeling services. Analyses included portions of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a technical report focusing on trajectory and fate modelling of subsurface blowouts, surface releases, and mitigation/response effectiveness (surface aerial and subsurface dispersant applications), a metocean analysis of wind and currents, and a Risk Assessment (RA) to investigate the likelihood of releases.
Solution
A metocean analysis was conducted to investigate the differences between current (HYCOM) and wind (CFSR) models used in the oil spill trajectory and fate modeling and observational data to verify their validity. Results indicated that both datasets were sufficient to provide the spatial and temporal variability within the environment that would be observed.
A Risk Assessment was conducted (with Environmental Research Consulting, Inc.) to evaluate the spillage probabilities and volumes for identified scenarios. Additionally, oil inputs in the region were investigated in a benchmarking analysis. The modeled blowout scenarios were then compared to other significant blowouts with respect to the release rate, duration, and total volume. These results were summarized in the RA.
Services Provided
Environment:
- Ecology – identify potential effects to marine environments
- Environmental Impact Assessment – Environmental Impact Statement
- Environmental permitting & compliance – Technical reports and numerical modeling completed to meet CNLOPB, CEAA, and NEB requirements
- Hydrology / hydrogeology – hydrodynamic modeling of the North Atlantic
- Spatial intelligence and GIS – Overlay of oil spill numerical modeling data onto areas of interest (AOI) as well as geospatial depiction of environmental data
Water services:
- Water quality modelling and monitoring – provide oil spill modeling that identifies the extent, timing, and potential magnitude of water quality impacts from hydrocarbon releases
Oceans and coastal:
- Coastal and marine geoscience – identification of shorelines, habitat, bathymetry for use in oil spill modeling
- Marine emergency response – Use oil spill modeling to guide marine emergency response plans
- Maritime infrastructure – Provide risk assessment for exploration drilling associated with new maritime infrastructure
- Modelling – Provide computational oil spill modeling and probability assessment of releases
Exploration and development:
- Drilling – numerical modeling of oil spills associated with exploration drilling
- Technical studies – numerical modeling of oil spills, probability assessment of releases
Other:
- Numerical Modeling – unmitigated deep water and surface releases of hydrocarbons, oil spill response (mitigated) hydrocarbon release modeling
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Probability Assessment
- Regulatory Engagement