PRACtically Speaking

Gully Seismic Study of Impacts of Seismic Energy on Marine Mammals and Acoustic Environment – DFO Centre for Offshore Oil and Gas Environment Research

PRAC co-supported the Gully Seismic Research Program, a multifaceted, multi-agency Canadian and international study on the impacts of seismic energy from oil and gas exploration on the marine mammals and acoustic environment at the continental shelf edge off Nova Scotia, Canada. Coordinated by Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Centre for Offshore Oil and Gas Environmental Research (COOGER), studies took place from April to October 2003, before and during exploratory 2D and 3D seismic programs on the upper continental slope carried out by Marathon Canada Petroleum ULC and EnCana Corporation.

The program included studies of seismic sound levels in addition to behaviour, vocalizations, and distributions of marine mammals, both in close proximity to the seismic vessels and in adjacent areas including the Gully submarine canyon and adjacent shelf edge regions of the Scotian Shelf.

Particular emphasis was given to the Northern Bottlenose Whale (NBW), which has been declared an endangered species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), and which congregates in the Gully and adjacent canyons (i.e., Shortland and Haldimand) on the eastern Scotian Shelf.

The study highlighted the advantages of simultaneous visual and acoustical observations of marine mammals before, during and after exposure to anthropogenic noise, such as seismic exploration, and provided verification of operational industry mitigation procedures. New technologies such as the Seamap Passive Acoustic Cetacean Monitoring System (SPACMS) proved to be a valuable tool that complemented visual observations. Visual and acoustic surveys clearly show the abundance of marine mammals in the Gully region. Also evident is the extensive occurrence of vocalizations of these mammals. The combination of a neural network analysis and spectrogram threshold approach classified vocalizations with an 80% success rate.

The highest average sound pressure level (RMS) measured in the Gully MPA was 145 dB (re 1 µPa-m) at 90 m depth, 50 km from the seismic array. Acoustic signatures of seismic impulses enabled verification of noise propagation modeling predictions used for regulatory compliance. From data collected within the region, the “worst case” sound level at the Gully MPA boundary, i.e. 0.8 km from the source, was predicted to be approximately 178 dB.

PRAC is pleased to welcome our new President, Mr. Dave Finn, who was hired in March to provide leadership and strategic direction to PRAC and its petroleum research and development activities in the Atlantic Region.

Dave is a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland with a Bachelors of Engineering in Naval Architecture and a Masters in Ocean Engineering. He has more than fifteen years of experience in research organizations, consulting, and industry. Most recently, he was the senior account manager responsible for business development in the oil and gas sector for a regional technology company.

He has been an active member of the Newfoundland Ocean Industries Association (NOIA). He is also a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers as well as a number of other organizations.

Mr. Finn will be based in PRAC’s office in St. John’s, NL.  He can be contacted by telephone at (709) 737-3706 and by email at dave.finn@pr-ac.ca.

PRAC Annual General Meeting

May 10th, 2006 – Westin Nova Scotian Hotel, Halifax, NS

PRAC’s 2006 Annual General Meeting will be held at the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel on May 10th. Revised By-laws, which have been approved by the members and federal Minister of Industry, will come into effect at this meeting. The main change will be a reduction in the number of representatives on the Board from 21 to 9 with the majority of the members coming from industry. 

Following the AGM the new Board of Directors will hold their first meeting which will be open to all PRAC members. This will be followed by a reception for members and invited guests and will feature a poster display of many of our current research projects. The reception will give the researchers an opportunity to showcase their work and answer questions.

May 24th and 25th, 2006 - St. Francis Xavier University,
Antigonish, NS

Register now and join experts from Nova Scotia’s energy sector at St. Francis Xavier University in May for the Energy Research and Development Forum 2006.

The forum brings together representatives from the research, industry and government sectors to explore energy issues such as climate change, offshore energy growth, electricity, renewable energy, and conservation. Over the course of the two days, the forum will identify ways to work together, become more competitive and affirm the Nova Scotia Department of Energy’s continuing commitment to developing a world-class energy sector through state-of-the-art research and development in the province.

For more details and to register, please go to www.energyresearch.ca and click on the forum banner.

Atlantic Oil and Gas Symposium

Atlantic Canada’s oil and gas industry has grown considerably in the past decade and is poised for considerable expansion in the next ten years. Do you have the inside track on the leading developments, projects, and opportunities to profit from the oil and gas industry’s upturn?

Mark your calendar for the return of The Canadian Institute’s Atlantic Oil and Gas Symposium. The symposium will deliver a current and comprehensive outlook for opportunities across the Atlantic region. Nowhere else will you get late breaking reports from all parts of the spectrum or hear from the foremost industry experts on the projects and trends that will take the East Coast to the next level of development.

The Canadian Institute’s Atlantic Oil and Gas Symposium – July 18 & 19, 2006
Marriott Halifax Harbourfront Hotel, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Post-conference Networking Golf Day, July 20 – Glen Arbour Golf Course
 
For more information or to request the full brochure please call 1-877-927-7936 or on-line at www.CanadianInstitute.com/Atlantic.q


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