Environmental statement - Flyndre and Cawdor - Maersk Oil

Flyndre and Cawdor Environmental Statement
Non-Technical Summary
production an additional two wells may be drilled). A pipeline will be installed to transport the
hydrocarbons to Talisman’s Clyde Platform.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The fields and platform associated with the proposed development are located in an area that is
typical of offshore regions in the CNS, where hydrogeographical, meterological, geological and
biological characteristics are relatively uniform over large areas.
The seabed sediments along the proposed pipeline route can be described as a fine to medium silty
sand with occasional scattered shell fragments and possible outcroppings of clay with coarser
materials such as gravel, cobbles and coarse sand occurring in the southern region.
No Annex I habitats have been identified in the area of the development. The closest is the Dogger
Bank (pSAC) sandbank located 120 km south of the proposed development while to the northwest
the Scanner and Braemar Pockmarks (both cSACs) are located 220 and 280 km respectively from the
proposed development. It is not considered likely that the proposed development will have any
impact on these designated areas at this distance.
The flora and fauna in the area of the development are very similar to those found over wide areas of
the Central North Sea (CNS).
There is evidence of lemon sole, sprat, mackerel and Norway pout spawning in the area of the
development while other species such as cod and whiting have spawning grounds nearby. Juvenile
haddock, Norway pout and whiting use the area as a nursery ground while juvenile mackerel, cod and
sandeels are found relatively close distances (≈ 60km) from the development area.
Although several species of seabird (e.g. fulmars, gannets, razorbills, kittiwakes, herring gulls etc.) are
found in the area of the proposed development, they occur in relatively low numbers, hence for the
majority of the year the bird oil vulnerability is considered low. However in the winter months;
October to January, the OVI is considered moderate to high during which time seabirds tend to
remain offshore to feed.
Of those species listed by the Habitats Directive (Annex II), only the harbour porpoise is found in large
numbers in the area of the development. Other cetaceans (all of which are listed as European
Protected Species) found in high numbers include the white‐sided dolphin, the white‐beaked dolphin
and the minke whale.
Scottish Executive data (Marine Directorate, 2009) shows that the fishing effort within the
development area is relatively low.
The level of shipping in the area is considered low in comparison to other areas of the North Sea.
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
The EIA process uses a standard, structured approach for the identification of environmental hazards.
This involves breaking down potential impacts from the development option into individual phases
and the key activities within each phase ;
the drilling phase
the installation of infrastructure
the production phase
iv D/4114/2011