falcon seismic emp 2 executive summary
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/7/2019 Falcon Seismic EMP 2 Executive Summary
1/7
Page i
Exploration Right Environmental Management Programme Report:
Seismic Survey, Southern Karoo Basin
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
1.1 BackgroundFalcon Oil & Gas Ltd (Falcon) is applying for an
Exploration Right in terms of the Mineral and Petroleum
Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 (MPRDA) to
conduct natural gas exploration by means of a seismic
survey in the southern part of the Great Karoo Basin,
South Africa.
The application area (refer to Figure 1) encompasses
more than 2 500 farms and farm portions (1 239 title
deeds). Falcon proposes to conduct seismic data
acquisition on a limited number of these only (see
Section 2.3 below).
1.2 Legal RequirementsSection 5(4) of the MPRDA states that any proponent
may not explore for petroleum or commence with any
work incidental thereto on any area without:
An approved Environmental ManagementProgramme (EMP);
An Exploration Right; and
Notifying and consulting with the landowners or
lawful occupiers of the land in question.
In order to apply for an Exploration Right, Falcon
completed the prescribed Application Form and
submitted it to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa(PASA) the designated agency regulating petroleum
exploration and production in terms of the MPRDA on
31 August 2010. PASA accepted the Application Form
on 7 September 2010 (PASA Reference No: 12/3/208/1)
and instructed Falcon to notify and consult with
National Environmental Management: Biodiversity
Act (Act No. 10 of 2004);
National Heritage Resources Act (Act No. 25 of
1999); and
National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998).
Project Description
2.1 Background and Motivation
Falcons proposed seismic survey exploration
programme is intended to assist in determining whether
the unquantified shale gas known to occur in the
application area constitutes a commercially viablenatural gas resource.
Natural (methane) gas provides a cleaner form of
energy than coal or oil. Shale gas exploration is,
therefore, strategically important to identify and assess
potential sources of natural gas which could provide
alternative energy sources to South Africa.
Should the seismic survey results indicate the presence
of a potentially viable shale gas resource, Falcon may
apply to PASA for the right to conduct further
exploration in the form of exploration well drilling,
which would be necessary to ascertain the commercial
viability of the resource. If production of gas were to be
pursued, Falcon would have to apply for a Production
Right.
This EMP Report is concerned with the seismic survey
exploration programme only since the location and
extent, as well as the potential viability of any shale gas
resource, are not known at present.
-
8/7/2019 Falcon Seismic EMP 2 Executive Summary
2/7
FOUD/dalc 424473_Falcon_Seismic EMP_Executive Summary_FINAL January 2011
Figure 1: Map of the application area, key environmental characteristics and the preliminary seismic survey lines.
-
8/7/2019 Falcon Seismic EMP 2 Executive Summary
3/7
2.3 Seismic Field Data Acquisition
Falcon has identified preliminary locations (routes) for
the survey lines (see Figure 1). These lines will be
finalised during Year 1 of the exploration programme
and will be amended as far as possible to incorporatelandowner concerns and environmental constraints.
Wherever possible, seismic lines will follow existing
roads, tracks and other previously disturbed areas.
Up to 1 000km seismic data will be acquired using the
shot hole method. This involves drilling 5m-deep shot
holes at approximately 50m intervals along the seismic
lines. The holes will be drilled using one of a number ofsmall types of portable drilling rigs, depending on the
local conditions.
Small explosive charges placed in each hole and
detonated in a controlled manner create and transmit
pulses of acoustic energy into the ground. Different
geological strata will reflect this back to the surface and
geophones (receivers) placed along the seismic lines willpick up and record the time taken for the sound wave to
reflect back to the surface. This information is then
interpreted to form a picture of the geological layers in
the survey area.
Falcon will appoint a contractor to undertake the
seismic data acquisition activities in the field. A seismic
crew of roughly 18 to 22 staff, with equipmentcomprising around four 4x4 vehicles (bakkies), two
vehicle-mounted drills (one of which will be small and
specifically designed for off-road areas) and three small
transportation trucks, will be active in the field for the
expected 6 to 8-month duration of the seismic survey.
The Affected Environment
The southern Karoo region has a semi-arid climate with
hot summers and very cold winters. Rainfall in the area
is generally low and the area has experienced severe
drought over the last few years.
level. Groundwater is used extensively in the Karoo and
abstraction takes place year-round.
Air quality in the application area is generally good as
there is little industrial development or other sources of
air pollutants in the vicinity, although dust levels are
likely to be relatively high in the arid Karoo conditions.
The application area is rural in nature and generally
quiet. Any noise that is generated is typical of
agricultural areas and comes from agricultural vehicles,
machinery and road traffic.
The application area is vast and encompasses a
significant diversity of habitats and vegetation types in
four ecoregions or biomes. The bulk of the application
area falls within the semi-arid Nama Karoo Biome. The
Succulent Karoo Biome makes up the western quarter
of the application area where there are also some
relatively small areas on the escarpment that are part of
the Fynbos Biome. In the eastern quarter of the study
area there are relatively small patches that fall within
the Thicket Biome.
The application area is dominated by two Nama Karoo
vegetation types, namely Gamka Karoo (central area)
and Eastern Lower Karoo (eastern area), and the
preliminary seismic lines transect these two vegetation
types for the most part. None of the vegetation types
that occur in the application area is listed as threatened,
although most types have high proportions of SouthAfrican endemics. Some dwarf succulent species, for
example, have very restricted ranges and specialized
habitat requirements, making them very sensitive to
disturbance.
Although large parts of the application area comprise
natural veld (with some degraded areas) there are no
completely pristine areas remaining in the Karoo,largely due to the effects of grazing.
The application area largely hosts animals with
extensive distributions, although diversity and
endemism among invertebrates and reptiles is high in
-
8/7/2019 Falcon Seismic EMP 2 Executive Summary
4/7
Page iv
disappeared, some species do still occur or have been
reintroduced into protected areas or private game
farms, along with some non-indigenous species.
Very few formally protected areas fall within or overlap
with the application area and the preliminary seismic
survey lines are located well away from these, although
a number privately-owned game and other farms that
are managed for conservation and/or ecotourism
purposes do fall within the application area.
Several areas identified as focus areas for protected
area expansion by the National Protected Areas
Expansion Strategy (NPAES) also occur in the application
area. In addition, the preliminary seismic survey lines
also traverse a number of areas highlighted on the
Critical Biodiversity Area (CBA) maps for the region.
The cultural/heritage resources in the application area
consist of archaeological sites ranging from Early Stone
Age occupation right into the historical period, most of
which are well represented elsewhere and not unique
to the Karoo. Historical period sites, such as historic
farmsteads and towns with associated formal and
informal burial grounds are also present.
The greater Karoo Basin is very important for its
palaeontological resources. The application area is rich
in known fossil sites, particularly in the western half and
in the Sundays River valley in the east.
The application area comprises the districts of Ceres,
Laingsburg, Prince Albert and Beaufort West in the
Western Cape; Fraserburg and Sutherland in the
Northern Cape and Aberdeen, Graaff Reinet,
Jansenville, Willowmore and Pearston in the Eastern
Cape (see Figure 1). Most of these towns fall just
outside the application area. The larger settlements
that fall within the application area include Merweville,
Leeu-Gamka, Rietbron, Aberdeen and Jansenville.
The majority of the land within the application area is
privately owned farmland, mostly used for raising
livestock (sheep, goats and some cattle) and game for
optimisation) measures designed to reduce the
significance of negative impacts (or enhance benefits).
Seismic data acquisition activities will move along
rapidly (up to 10km per day) and direct impacts will
therefore mostly be of very short duration. Impacts will
also mostly be limited to the project footprint and, as
activities will mostly take place on previously disturbed
areas, would be of limited intensity.
A summary of the significance of the potential impacts
and key recommended mitigation measures is provided
in Table 1. Potential impacts have all been assessed to
be insignificant or of very low or low significance with
the implementation of the recommended mitigation
measures, which have all been incorporated as
management actions into the EMP (see below).
Environmental Management Programme
The primary purpose of the EMP is to detail the
management and control measures required to ensure
that the mitigation measures identified to minimise
potential negative impacts are effectively implemented,
and that all seismic survey exploration activities are
conducted in a sustainable and environmentally
responsible manner.
5.1 Roles and Responsibilities
Several role-players will be involved in theenvironmental management of the seismic survey
activities. These role-players and their responsibilities
are:
PASA responsible for monitoring Falcons
compliance with the conditions of the Exploration
Right and the EMP;
Falcon has overall responsibility for the
implementation of and compliance with the
conditions of the Exploration Right and the EMP.
During seismic data acquisition activities, Falcon will
be represented on site by a full-time Site Agent;
-
8/7/2019 Falcon Seismic EMP 2 Executive Summary
5/7
Page v
environmental concerns or project aspects will be
compiled and implemented during the seismic survey
exploration programme, including the following:
Land Use Agreements will be drawn up with each
landowner and will set out management measures
and requirements for working on private property
(including compensation arrangements);
Vegetation Management Plans will be
implemented where the final seismic surveys lines
cannot avoid natural vegetation in specific areas of
concern within the application area;
An Environmental Awareness Plan will beimplemented to ensure that all staff are aware of
the content and requirements of the EMP and their
environmental responsibilities in this regard;
A Grievance Mechanism will be implemented to
ensure that IAPs can register complaints and that
these will be addressed quickly and adequately; and
Compliance Monitoring will take place through
daily monitoring checklists completed by the
Seismic Contractor and signed off by the Falcon Site
Agent, as well as fortnightly EMP compliance
reports compiled by the ECO.
5.3 Environmental Specifications and Management
Actions
The mitigation (and optimisation measures) identified
during impact assessment are incorporated into the
EMP as the key environmental specifications and
management actions that Falcon (and the Seismic
Contractor) commit to implement during all activities in
the field during the seismic exploration programme.
5.4 Financial Provision
Falcon must make financial provision for environmental
management of the seismic exploration activities,
including rehabilitation. Financial provision is calculated
based on the requirements of the EMP.
The main concerns raised by IAPs with regard to the
proposed seismic exploration activities related to:
Potential impacts on water resources, specifically
groundwater;
Landowner rights and compensation; and
Potential impacts on vegetation (and grazing).
Many of the concerns and objections raised by IAPs did
not pertain to the proposed seismic survey exploration
programme per se, but related to the renewed interest
in the Karoo for potential gas production in general and
the implications of possible future gas production for
the region. These concerns could not be addressed in
the EMP as the activities that they relate to are not
included in the application to PASA since they are not
currently proposed and no details are available. Any
predictions with respect to such activities would
therefore be premature and, at best, speculative and
theoretical.
-
8/7/2019 Falcon Seismic EMP 2 Executive Summary
6/7
-
8/7/2019 Falcon Seismic EMP 2 Executive Summary
7/7