beaufort sea coastal marine program ccgs nahidik...
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Beaufort Sea Coastal Marine ProgramCCGS Nahidik Program
Donald CobbFisheries and Oceans CanadaDr. Steve BlascoNatural Resources Canada
Presentation to Arctic Energy Summit October 15-18, 2007 Anchorage
Beaufort Sea Coastal Marine ProgramCCGS Nahidik Program
• Background to Northern Energy Development (roots of program)
• Program objectives
• Nahidik overview
• Links to other programs
Northern Energy Development
• Mackenzie Gas Pipeline: Northern Canada’s largest single development
– Environmental Impact Assessment of Pipeline (DFO capacity and research)
– Induced Activities: nearshore and offshore Beaufort Sea
– Complex governance and landclaims
– Challenge for Govt of Canada to prepare
Federal Responsibilities for Northern Energy Development
• INAC• DFO• EC• NRCan• NEB• TC• CEAA• Northern boards
02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09
MGP-MCIII (Budget 2005)
MGP-MCII (Budget 2004)
NEDS (Budget 2002)
NEDS – Focus on federal government preparedness for Northern Oil and Gas development, pipeline and exploration
MGP-MCII – Focussed science on research activities entirely in the area of MGP EA regulatory review only
MGP-MCIII – Added science activities associated with induced exploration
Federal Government Strategy
Research Priorities to Meet MGP
1. Gaps analysis workshops– Gartner Lee 2003, YK (Mackenzie
Valley)– Inuvik (Beaufort)
2. Community Consultations– E.g: 6 ISR Communities for Nahidik
3. Co-Management bodies (FJMC) –beluga, seals
4. Regulators needs (DFO-HM, NEB)
5. Industry demands (safety, mitigation)
6. Environmental Impact Assessment gaps.
Northern Energy DevelopmentBeaufort Coastal Marine Program
Program Objectives:
1. To ensure that we better understand the Beaufort Sea ecosystem for decisions related to oil and gas development in the nearshore and offshore.– Parts of ecosystem (biological /
physical / chemical)
– Interactions of ecosystem components with each other and the environment (processes)
– Areas of ecological significance
Shallow Gas Drilling HazardPaktoa Site
Northern Energy DevelopmentBeaufort Coastal Marine Program
Program Objectives:
2. To provide advice on geohazards and allow appropriate mitigation and planning to protect both industry and the environment.
• artificial islands
• ice scour
• shallow gas vents
• sub-surface stability
Northern Energy DevelopmentBeaufort Coastal Marine Program
Program Objectives:
3. Set the stage for enhanced marine research:
1. Canada’s Oceans Act- identify ecological and biologically significant
areas.- identify areas of interest for marine protected areas.
2. Establish long-term monitoring stations for broader Arctic Science under N-CAARE.
3. Links with other vessels in expanded program (national and international).
Northern Energy DevelopmentBeaufort Coastal Marine Program
• Introduction to integrated research program on CCGSNahidik– Marine habitat classification– Fisheries, plankton and
benthic studies– Oceanography – Multibeam work with NRCan– Geohazards (ice scour, gas
vents, artificial islands, etc.)– Bathymetric work with CHS
Physical Oceanography
Bill WilliamsCTD frame
Physical Oceanography• Understand physical and chemical dynamics of the Beaufort Sea
•Mackenzie Plume delineation
• extent, variability
• Help build more robust ecosystem models
2005 Nahidik leg 1 Cruise Track
2006 Nahidik leg 1 Cruise Track
CCGS NAHIDIK Fishing Program
A.R. Majewski, J.D. Reist, B.J. Park
Objectives:
Contribute to basic biological/ecological information of offshore fish populations
Information in support of acoustic fish work (Gyselman/Jorgenson)
Information on the use substrate features as habitat
Provide samples for follow‐on analysis
Methods Overview:Multi‐mesh Gill Nets:60 and 120 m3.75cm (1in.) to 13.75cm (5.5in.)9 locationsSurface and bottom setsTotal depth: 8 – 70m3 – 18 hours
Mid‐water Trawl:3m x 3m gape, 12m length7.5cm (3in.) to 0.6cm (0.25in.)15 locationsSet depth: surface to 50m 30 minutes
New to 2006 –beam trawl
(SDC in background)
2006 Beam Trawl Catches
Zooplankton and marine larval fish in the Canadian Beaufort Sea Shelf
M. Papst, J. Sareault, S. Wong, Collaborations with the Polish
Academy of Sciences
Objectives•To examine the ecology of the zooplankton and marine larval fish that are using the Beaufort Sea shelf during the ice-free summer months.
•To examine the annual variation of condition and distribution of larval fish such as Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida).
•To determine if different species of larval marine fish can be used as ecosystem indicators.
•To identify areas of high ecological importance to larval marine fish.
Bongo Net TowsMethods & Analysis
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Clupeidae
Osmeridae
Coregonus sp.
B. saida
Arctogadus sp.Gadidae
Stichaeidae
Ulcina olriki
G. tricuspis
Icelus sp.
M. quadricornis
T. pingeli
T. nybelinii
L. decagonus
Unidentified
Liparis sp.
L. fabricii
L. tunicatus
1985
1986
1987
2003
2004 PercentAbundance (/100)
Figure 1. Percent Abundance of Marine Larval Fish within the 50m depth contour of the Canadian Beaufort Sea in the years 1985-1987, 2003-2004
Benthic community research from the Nahidik cruises
Purpose of studies
• Taxonomy of Beaufort Sea benthos poorly understood
• Benthic Invertebrates important ecosystem component– Food for fish, and marine mammals– Indicator of healthy ecosystem
• Useful for monitoring programs• Useful in habitat assessments (special features)
Community visualization
Static Dynamic!
Geological Survey of Canadaand Canadian Museum of Nature
75 m
Geological Survey of Canada andThe Canadian Museum of Nature
Acoustics Survey-Water and Seabed
Acoustics and seabed classification
2006 cruise plotWater columnechogram
Acoustic Intensity plot (Paktoa)
3-D Image of Habitats
Carbon and lower trophic studies
Patricia Ramlal
-Objective: -Develop a food web model of the Beaufort Sea
- community structure- stable isotopes
Measurements: -gases, nutrients, Chlor Abacteria, phytoplankton
Sub-sampling for meiofauna
(1) ice scour(2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities
Draft ≤ 50 m
Pressure ridge ice keel
Repetitive Mapping Network
RepetitiveMapping
Distribution of New Scours => 0.5 m
Geoenvironmental Issues at Paktoa Devon Well Site
(1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas(5) benthic ecosystem
First Arctic Offshore Exploration Well in 16 yearsDrilled Without Geoenvironmental Problems
Devon Paktoa Drill Site, 2006Bottom Founded Structure - 13m Water Depth
?
Seabed Saturated with Ice Scours
(1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities
Devon Paktoa Well Site 2006
13 m Water Depth
?
(1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities
Subsea Ice-Bearing Permafrost
SN
SingleChannel
Data
Multi-ChannelData
(1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities
Mackenzie Trough
Edge of Trough
Paktoa Drill Site
100 m
Mud Volcano
200 m
MackenzieTrough
Kringalik Plateau
UNFROZEN FROZEN
(1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities
Artificial Islands 1972-1986
Issungnak 1980
2001
2005
2001 over 2005 profile
Long-term ResearchNorthern Oil and Gas MC IV,V?
• Long-term research and monitoring to test EIS predictions, effectiveness of mitigation, respond to accidents, and future geographic expansion of MGP development
– Post construction impacts – Cumulative Impacts– Broader off-shore development –
Beaufort, but also High Arctic– Expansion of pipeline infrastructure
along corridor (new areas)– Respond to un-anticipated events
and new community concerns