Prelude Floating LNG Project EIS Supplement-Response to Submissions Shell Development (Australia) Proprietary Limited EPBC 2008/4146
January 2010
Disclaimer Tis supplement t the drat Envirnmental Impact Statement (EIS) has een prepared Shell Develpment (Australia) Prprietar Prprietar Limited (Shell) r sumissin t the Cmmnwealth Minister r Envirnment, Heritage and the Arts (the Minister) under the Envionment Potection and Biodivesity Consevation Act 1999 . Te supplement and drat EIS have een prepared r this purpse nl and n ne, ther than the Minister, shuld rel n the inrmatin cntained in the supplement and drat EIS t make an decisin. In preparing the supplement and drat EIS, Shell has relied n inrmatin prvided specialist cnsultants
and ther third parties wh are identied in the drat EIS. Shell has nt veried the accurac r cmpleteness the inrmatin tained rm these surces, except where expressl acknwledged in the supplement and drat EIS.
Cpright Te cncepts and inrmatin cntained in this dcument are the prpert Shell. N part this supplement supplement and drat EIS ma e cpied r duplicated withut the express written permissin Shell.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 1.1 SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2
RESPONSE TO SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 2.1 Errata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2.2 Hydrodynamic Hydrodynamic modelling of liquid discharges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2.2.1 Generation of bromoform from cooling water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1
2.2.2 Hydrodynamic modelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
INRODUCION
2.3 Green Green House Gas related submissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.3.1 Name of other LNG facilities used for benchmarking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.3.2 Calculations of GHG intensity of LNG facilities for benchmarking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Tis supplement to the Prelude Floating Liquefed Natural Gas (LNG) Project Drat Environmental Impact Statement 2.3.3 Prelude fuel consumption emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 (Drat EIS) presents Shell Development (Australia) Proprietary Limited’s (Shell’s) consideration and response to the 2.3.4received Use of steam . . .consultation . . . . . . .period . . . or . . the . . Prelude . . . . Floating . . . . . LNG . . . Project . . . . Drat . . . EIS. . . . 7 submissions duringboilers the public 2.3.5 Prelude’s GHG Intensity compared to other LNG facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Te Drat EIS and this supplement collectively make up the Prelude Floating LNG Project Final Environmental Impact 2.3.6 Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 . 10 Statement (Final EIS) or the proposed Prelude Floating LNG Project and are provided to the Commonwealth Department 2.3.7 Nitrogen . . ,. Heritage . . . . . and . . the . . Arts . . .(DEWHA) . . . . . . or . .its. assessment . . . . . . under . . . .the . . Environmental . . . . . . . . Protection .11 o the Environment, Water Water, and Biodiversity 1999 the Project 2.3.8Conservation Boil-off gasAct . . 1999 (EPBC . . . (EPBC . . . . Act). . . . Under . . . . the . . EPBC . . . .Act, . . DEWHA . . . . . .makes . . . recommendations . . . . . . . . . .on.11 to the Commonwealth Environment Minister who makes a fnal decision on the environmental approval o the Project. 2.4 Shipping movements and spills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 . 12 2.4.1 visitationwere . . .prepared . . . . .by. Shell . . . as. the . . proponent . . . . . . and . . .operator . . . . o . .the . .proposed . . . . .Prelude . . .12Floating Te Drat EISShipping and supplement LNG Project. Te Drat November 2.4.2 Spills . . . EIS . . was . . available . . . . . or . . public . . . comment . . . . . .or . .30. business . . . . .days . . between . . . . . October . . . . 12th . . . and . .13 20th 2009. Tis Supplement is also published as required under the EPBC Act. 2.5 Impacts Impacts of facilities on fauna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 . 14
1.1
2.5.1 Collision and entanglement . . O . . .SUBMISSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 . 14 SUPPLEMEN-RESPONSE
2.5.2 Anchors and drilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 . 15 Tree submissions were received during the public review period, all rom individuals. Tese being rom: 2.5.3 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 APPENDI APPENDIX XA - Submissions received for for the Prelude Prelude Floating LNG Project Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 1. Rudi H.Overmars, Victoria 2. Ari Chakrabarti, Western Australia APPENDIX B - Cross-reference Cross-referen ce Table T able Listing Issues Raised in the Submissions Submissions and the Location Location 3. Simon Dean, Malaysia of Shell’ Shell’ss Response. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Comments were also received rom DEWHA on the 4th December 2009. Copies o these submissions are included in Appendix A, and the comments are addressed in detail in Section 2 in this supplement.
1i
1
INRoDUCIoN
Tis supplement t the Prelude lating Liueed Natural Gas (LNG) Prject Drat Envirnmental Impact Statement (Drat EIS) presents Shell Develpment (Australia) Prprietar Limited’s (Shell’s) cnsideratin and respnse t the sumissins received during the pulic cnsultatin perid r the Prelude lating LNG Prject Drat EIS. Te Drat EIS and this supplement cllectivel make up the Prelude lating LNG Prject inal Envirnmental Impact Statement (inal EIS) r the prpsed Prelude lating LNG Prject and are prvided t the Cmmnwealth Department the Envirnment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) r its assessment under the Envionmental Potection and Biodivesity Consevation Act 1999 (EPbC Act). Under the EPbC Act, DEWHA makes recmmendatins n the Prject t the Cmmnwealth Envirnment Minister wh makes a nal decisin n the envirnmental apprval the Prject. Te Drat EIS and supplement were prepared Shell as the prpnent and peratr the prpsed Prelude lating LNG Prject. Te Drat EIS was availale r pulic cmment r 30 usiness das etween octer 12th and Nvemer 20th 2009. Tis Supplement is als pulished as reuired under the EPbC Act.
1.1
SUPPLEMEN-RESPoNSE o SUbMISSIoNS
Tree sumissins were received during the pulic review perid, all rm individuals. Tese eing rm: 1. 2. 3.
Rudi H.overmars, Victria Ari Chakraarti, Western Australia Simn Dean, Malasia
Cmments were als received rm DEWHA n the 4th Decemer 2009. Cpies these sumissins are included in Appendix A, and the cmments are addressed in detail in Sectin 2 in this supplement.
1
2
rESPonSE to SuBmISSIonS rECEIVED
She has eviewed he sbissis eceived he Da EIS ad pepaed espses he isses ad esis aised i accdace wih he eiees he EPBC Ac. Te sbissis aised 19 idivida isses. A css-eeece abe is pvided i Appedix B which deais whee he espse i his sppee ca be d he isses aised i he sbissis. Te wi seci deais She’s espses he sbissis eceived.
2.1
ErrAtA
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
1
rdi H.oveas
• Table 6.30 p age 169. Reservoir CO2 Shd be 966,000 isead 966 • Page 285 mV is mi llivolt. not megavolt.
Tak epi hese w es. A ceced tabe 6.30 he Da EIS is pvided bew.
Table 6.30
Annual CO 2 equivalent Emissions from the Prelude FLNG Project
Tonnes per year
CO2
CH4
N2O
CO2e
%
resevi Co2
966,000
370
0
973,728
42.4
e cbsi
1,259,664
114
2.4
1,262,688
54.9
ai
57,792
101
2
60,480
2.6
iive
0
101
0
2,016
0.1
ta
2,283,456
686
4.4
2,298,912
100
2.2
HyDroDynAmIC moDEllIng o lIquID DISCHArgES
2.2.1
Generation of bromoform from cooling water
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
2
rdi H.oveas
Pae 160 chlorine . I is we kw ha ee esida chie i wase wae ca es i he ai xic, cacieic chiaed aic cpds. Tis is acceped becase he beefs chiai a exceed he sa peia pbes hese chiaed cpds ca case. Hweve I ca desad hw bi caii aic cpds sch as b ae ed as a es chiai. Is his via aa cci bi cpds i sea wae?
3
bth rmine and rmrm (CHbr3) ccur naturall in seawater. brmrm, a trihalmethane, is als prduced as a prduct the chlrinatin prcess used t prevent marine grwth in the LNG cling water sstem (see Sectin 4.7.8 the Drat EIS). brmrm is rmed when three the ur hdrgen atms methane (CH 4), und in naturall ccurring rganic matter within the water clumn, are replaced rmine atms. brmine is relativel aundant in seawater with a cncentratin tpicall arund 85 ppm. Te mdelling chlrine prducts presented in Sectin 6.7.5 the Drat EIS served a maximum cncentratins r rmrm 4.9 μg/l which is several magnitudes rder lwer than knwn txic cncentratins. 2.2.2
Hydrodynamic modelling
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
19
DEWHA
Discharge of waste
Discharge of cooling water ……... Tus we recmmend the prpnent undertake hdrgraphical mdelling t determine the w and dispersal characteristics discharged heated sdium hpchlrite treated water, and whether this pses a harm risk t the marine envirnment. Measures will als need t e taken t ensure that seawater intakes d nt pse a signicant risk t marine auna.……..
Food waste and putrescibles ……..It is likel the discharge these materials will increase nutrient levels in the waters arund the acilit. We recmmend the prpnent assesses the ptential impacts that enhanced nutrient levels ma pse the marine envirnment, and (i necessar) hw these ma e mitigated……..
Sectin 6.7 the Drat EIS descries the hdrdnamic mdelling liuid discharges rm the LNG acilit undertaken r the Drat EIS. Te range mdelling undertaken is als summarised in ale 6.20 the Drat EIS, which is presented elw. “Te hdrdnamic mdel chsen t assess the impacts the LNG acilit n the phsical marine envirnment is the Generalized Envirnmental Mdelling Sstem r Surace Waters (GEMSS®) using a nested grid cvering a regin apprximatel 30 30 km, with ner reslutin arund the discharge lcatins (igure 6.9) (ERM, 2009a)” (Sectin 6.7.4 the Drat EIS, p156). A cp the mdelling reprt (ERM, 2009a) was als prvided t DEWHA n 23 Jul 2009 alng with the Drat EIS.
Table 6.20
Summary of Modelled Impacts
Waste Stream PW
• MEG brine from the MEG regeneratin unit Cling water
• Temperature • Chlorine • Dissolved oxygen (DO)
Wastewater (sewage/ gre water/drainage)
• Total Suspended Solids • Coliforms • Oil and grease
Implicatins assciated with
Prelude FLNG Project
• BTEX, NPD and PAH compounds • Residual MEG within the PFW that is nt recvered thrugh the MEG regeneratin unit
Results the mdelling the cling water discharge are the cmined eects presented n pages 160161 the Drat EIS. Mdelling wastewater discharged and included assessment ree residual chlrine levels, chlrine discharge cling water (deep water extractin) prducts and temperature dispersin. Te cling water plume temperature is mdelled as eing within the reuired 3°C the surrunding cean water temperature within 15 20 m the discharge pint, cmrtal meeting the Wrld
4
Constituents
• Nutrients • Oxygen demand • Chlorophyll-a • DO
bank guideline achieving this temperature within 100 m. Te risk assessment presented in the Drat EIS cncluded ”Given the vey localised tempeate changes compaed to the size o the eceiving envionment and the vey low concentations o chloine and chloine bypodcts, the magnitde o impact om the dischage o cooling wate is low and impacts ae nlikely, the signicance o impact is theeoe assessed to be mino.” Mitigatin measures t ensure that seawater intakes d nt pse a signicant risk t marine auna presented in the Drat EIS included: • •
“Atomatic biocide dosing, qality contol and eedback systems will be incopoated into the FLNG acility design” “Sceens will be installed on the cooling wate ise inlets and inlet cent speeds will be low (estimated at 0.5 m/s) to pevent the ingess o lage maine ana into the cooling wate system”
Results the mdelling the wastewater discharge (sewage, putresciles, grewater and deck drainage) as well as the cmined discharges wastewater and cling water are presented n pages 161163 the Drat EIS. Te cling water discharge was included in the assessment nutrients as the LNG’s cling water sstem transers a large uantit waters rm 150m elw the Prelude acilit t near the cean surace. Deeper water tpicall cntains higher nutrients and lwer Disslved oxgen (Do) cncentratins than surace waters. investigate i the additin nutrients was likel t result in increased phtplanktn grwth in surace waters, mdelling the impact n nutrients and xgen demand levels n chlrphll cncentratins was undertaken. based n the results this investigatin, the Drat EIS cncluded “Te modelled maximm concentation o chloophylla is lowe than the clea wate dealt tigge vale (0.5 μg/l) and the modelled maximm DO dieence is only 3% o the aveage vale. Fthemoe, the aea o impact is vey small, within 100 m o the dischage. Small plmes develop at each o the o dischage pipes and at the at sace, whee waves and cents qickly dispese and dilte the plmes. As sch, potential impacts ae assessed to be mino.”
2.3
GREEN HoUSE GAS RELAED SUbMISSIoNS
2.3.1
Name of other LNG facilities used for benchmarking
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
4
Ari Chakraarti
In EIS r recent LNG prjects in Australia, enchmarked cmparisn has een presented, and it shws specic names each prject. r Prelude prject, similar cmparisn shuld e presented als.
igure 6.18 the Drat EIS was presented t enale cmparisn Prelude’s Green Huse Gas (GHG) intensit with similar prjects (enchmarking). Tis was als a reuirement as stipulated in DEWHA’s Prelude EIS guidelines (See Appendix A the Drat EIS). A cp igure 6.18 rm the Drat EIS is als presented elw. As stated in Sectin 6.8.2 the Drat EIS: “Fige 6.18 pesents a compaison o GHG intensity o a gop o 10 existing wold scale LNG acilities benchmaked against the Pelde FLNG acility. Tese ten LNG Plants accont o abot 70% o cent total global LNG capacity ie abot 140 mtpa LNG podction.”
5
benchmarking is a prcess which enales cmparisn a Figure 6.18 chsen perrmance metric (GHG intensit in this case) etween dierent prjects. Each participant is ale t see hw the cmpare t their peers whilst their wn specic perrmance is kept cndential rm the ther participants. Shell is nt ale t pulicl name the 10 ther acilities included in the GHG intensit cmparisn presented in igure 6.18 the Drat EIS, as the are cndential. Prelude’s GHG intensit can still e cmpared and ranked withut the inclusin acilit names.
GHG Intensity Comparison
As shwn in igure 6.18 and discussed in detail in Sectin 6.8.2 the Drat EIS, the LNG liueactin prcess is energ ecient ut Prelude’s higher reservir Co2 levels cntriute t its GHG tprint. See als the respnse t Sumissin Reerence Numer 7 presented in Sectin 2.3.5 this dcument r urther discussin Prelude’s GHG intensit cmpared t ther prpsed LNG prjects. 2.3.2
Calculations of GHG intensity of LNG facilities for benchmarking
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
3
Ari Chakraarti
Drat EIS igure 6.18 shws cmparisn GHG intensit r a grup 10 existing wrld scale LNG acilities enchmarked against the Prelude LNG acilit. Hwever, it is nt clear hw the gures 10 existing acilities have een estimated. Te detailed calculatin asis, including amunt sutracted as upstream peratin, shuld e elarated.
Te data used in igure 6.18 the Drat EIS was ased n results a enchmarking stud undertaken Shell Glal Slutins Internatinal using their prprietar methdlg which was designed t ensure a “likerlike” cmparisn. r calculating the Co2 emissins rm each participant, the llwing data is reuested: • • • • • • •
feedgas and fuelgas composition(s); fuelgas and liquid fuel usage by gas turbines, boilers, furnaces, incinerators and engines; amount of gas ared and vented; are eciency; condensate sales by road, ship and rail; condensate storage quantity and tank type (oating roof, internal roof, xed roof ); and for methane losses – the number of anges, valves, seals, pumps, relief valves, sampling points.
Te upstream GHG intensit r Prelude was derived rm the energ usage mre than 100 Shell upstream acilities acrss the gle ver a numer ears. It is an average gure nl and was sutracted rm the verall LNG GHG intensit result t allw a direct cmparisn etween the Prelude LNG acilit and nshre LNG plants (which excluded the upstream energ usage).
6
Prelude FLNG Project
2.3.3
Prelude fuel consumption emissions
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
5
Ari Chakraarti
EIS r recent LNG prjects in Australia presents detailed asis GHG emissin, hwever, Prelude EIS des nt shw the asis 1,260 ktpa in ale 4.6. Detailed estimate asis, such as Co2 emissin rm steam ilers, steam cnsumptin varius turines, and s n, shuld e presented
Te descriptin the Prelude LNG liueactin prcess in the Drat EIS has een written t enale an ptential envirnmental impacts t e assessed and at a level sucient r understanding the general pulic. Sectin 4.7.11 the Drat EIS descries the utilit sstems n the Prelude LNG acilit. Te majr surce uel cmustin emissins are the six steam ilers running n lw pressure uel gas. Tese ilers generate high pressure steam used t drive cmpressrs used in the liueactin prcess and turines t generate electricit r the prcess and acilit, as well as lw pressure steam r prcess heat. Te cmpressrs and turines running the steam generated the ilers d nt themselves generate an additinal GHG emissins. GHG emissins are presented and discussed in mre detail in Sectin 6.8 the Drat EIS. r assessing the envirnmental impacts GHG emissins, it is the ttal emissin vlumes which are interest rather than individual prcesses r surces. Nevertheless, ale 6.30 shws the cntriutin rm reservir Co2, cmustin, aring and ugitive surces. Te data presented in the Drat EIS enales the envirnmental impacts t e determined and managed, as descried in Sectin 6.8 the Drat EIS, and als meets the reuirements an EIS as utlined in DEWHA’s Prelude EIS Guidelines. Te reuest r mre detailed inrmatin n Co 2 emissins and energ usage at an euipment level ges end what is reuired r cnsideratin the envirnmental impact the prject and wuld reuire disclsure Shell prprietar inrmatin. 2.3.4
Use of steam boilers
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
6
Ari Chakraarti
It is cmmnl recgnized in LNG industr that thermal ecienc steam turine driven will e lwer than that gas turine driven.
Te selectin the pwer generatin and cmpressr driver tpe r the Prelude LNG Prject was suject t numerus studies and value engineering. Cmpared t a traditinal nshre acilit, a remtel lcated ating acilit has sme uniue challenges which aect euipment selectin. Whilst ecienc is an imprtant cnsideratin r an LNG plant, reliailit is mre critical r LNG as the ating acilit will e permanentl mred shre r ~25 ears and have limited space and capacit n ard r undertaking majr maintenance r repair campaigns. Te chice steam r driving cmpressrs and pwer generatin turines, whilst nt as energ ecient as a cmined ccle gas turalternatr r direct drive aerderivative gas turines, was selected ecause it ers: • • • • • •
proven high reliability in a marine setting (steam boilers have been used on LNG ships for many decades); simpler operations and maintenance; reduced rotating equipment count (reduced complexity); use of low pressure fuelgas, which reduces the energy required to compress end ash gas for fuelgas; fuel gas composition exibility which is important as FLNG is being developed as a generic solution to be deployed globally; and avoids the need for very large variable speed electric motor drivers or the use of red equipment in the liueactin mdule n LNG.
7
Nnetheless, the Prelude LNG liueactin prcess is an energ ecient prcess cmpared t that used at man land ased LNG plants (see Sectin 2.3.5 this dcument r urther details). Te ecienc gains ered LNG are detailed in Sectin 4.4.2 the Drat EIS. Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
11
Simn Dean
Te selectin steam ilers r main pwer generatin ver a cmined ccle gas turine and waste heat recver sstem means that u have t cmpl with Wrld bank EHS reuirements 320 m g/m3 Nox cncentratin in the exhaust stream. A cmined ccle g as turine sstem wuld have a lwer limit 25 ppmv (euivalent t 47 mg/m3 at 25C). Terere, the selectin steam ilers r main pwer generatin as ppsed t cmined ccle gas turines is nt the est availale technlg r minimisatin Nox emissins.
Te chice steam ilers r pwer reuirements is discussed ave. As utlined ave, euipment selectin is a multiaceted issue which tpicall invlves trade etween cmpeting reuirements. Te Sumissin Part crrectl highlights that steam ilers prduce mre Nox emissins than gas turines. Tis is due t the simple urner arrangement ilers cmpared t a gas turine. Hwever, Prelude will install Dr Lw Nox urners in its steam ilers t minimize Nox emissins. oxides nitrgen emissins can e cncern r three reasns: • • •
human health eects, including those associated with photochemical smog; generation of photochemical smog or acid rain in air sheds with high levels of nitrogen oxides; and Nitrous oxide (N20), an xide nitrgen, is a greenhuse gas with a ver high GHG warming ptential aut 300 times that Co2.
Te Prelude LNG acilit will cmpl with Australian ccupatinal health and saet reuirements. Tis will e detailed and assessed as part the apprval prcess reuired rm the Natinal oshre Petrleum Saet Authrit (NoPSA), as discussed in Sectin 2.4.3 the Drat EIS, and is utside the scpe this EIS. It shuld als e nted that given Prelude’s remte shre lcatin, health impacts n external parties rm Nox emissins are nt pssile (als see Sectin 6.8.4 the Drat EIS). Te lack ther cumulative surces Nox emissins within the regin als prtects against the ptential r phtchemical smg r acid rain generatin. r the Prelude Prject, the greatest issue with Nox emissins cncerns the cntriutin N20 t Preludes’ ttal GHG emissins. Prelude’s GHG emissins, including N20 emmissins, are discussed in sectin 6.8 the Drat EIS. As detailed in Sectin 4.4.2 and 6.8 the Drat EIS and Sectin 2.3.1 and 2.3.5 this dcument, the verall GHG ecienc the Prelude liueactin prcess is etter than man ther existing r prpsed LNG plants which use cmined ccle gas turine sstems.
8
Prelude FLNG Project
2.3.5
Prelude’s GHG Intensity compared to other LNG facilities
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
7
Ari Chakraarti
rm the reerrals recent LNG prjects in Australia, the emissin rates (tGHG/tLNG&LPG) are indicated as elw. •
North West Shelf Train 4 (2000)
0.44
•
Darwin (2002)
0.46
•
Gorgon (2004)
0.35
•
Pluto (2007)
0.33
•
Gladstone (2009)
0.35
•
Curtis Island (2009)
0.26
•
Prelude (2009)
0.33
Cmpared t Curtis Island design, Prelude shuld have a lt pssiilities t imprve emissin rate and thermal ecienc
Tere is indeed a wide range reprted GHG intensities r the varius prjects, with sme the variatin caused dierences in the calculatin asis. Terere, t ensure a ‘likerlike’ cmparisn, Shell chse t cmpare in a cnsistent manner Prelude LNG’s recast emissins t the actual emissins rm 10 existing LNG acilities that accunt r 70% current wrld LNG capacit (see igure 6.18 Drat EIS and Sectin 2.3. 2 this dcument r urther discussin). explre emissin rates and eciencies acrss an integrated prject we use the prpsed queensland Curtis LNG prject, discussed as Curtis Island (2009) in the ave sumissin. rm the queensland Curtis LNG EIS we can derive the llwing cmparisn tale cvering th upstream and dwnstream cmpnents LNG prductin. Queensland Curtis LNG CO2e source
Prelude FLNG CO2e tonnes per year
Upstream
2,400,906*
Pipeline
39,479
LNG acilit
1,325,184
2,856,914
Reservir Co2 emissins
0
973,728
Prductin (LNG+LPG)
12,000,000
4,000,000
GHG Intensit (tGHG/tLNG+LPG) ull prject excluding reservir Co2
0.44
0.33
ull prject including reservir Co2
0.44
0.57
* Crrected r a ttal three trains 4 MPA capacit
queensland Curtis LNG, like Prelude LNG, has an ecient liueactin prcess (0.26 and 0.29 tGHG/tLNG+LPG respectivel). Hwever, when upstream emissins are taken int accunt, the GHG intensit the Curtis LNG develpment increases t 0.44 tGHG/tLNG+ LPG1. b cmparisn, Prelude is lcated directl ver the gas eld and its cmined upstream and dwnstream GHG intensit is 0.33 tGHG/tLNG+LPG i the cntriutin reservir Co 2 emissins is excluded. When Prelude’s reservir Co 2 emissins are included, Prelude’s verall GHG intensit increases t 0.57 tGHG/tLNG+LPG.
1
Qeensland Ctis LNG will se coal seam methane as its eedstock. Coal seam methane gas does not contain CO 2 and does not podce LPG o condensate. Coal seam methane poects extact methane gas om coal seams at vey low pesses and this gas needs to be compessed, and in the case o Ctis LNG piped a consideable distance to the LNG plant on the coast, beoe it is sitable o se in a liqeaction pocess.
9
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
12
Simn Dean
Te Plut LNG GHG Abatement Prgram (cp attached) cntains a graph (igure 6) that shws the nnes GHG per tnne LNG prduced. A rugh calculatin r Prelude indicates that the develpment will emit ~0.43 e Co2 per e LNG (equivalent). Tis i s hardl best in class s hw des this cmpare t an nshre LNG acilit?
Prelude LNG’s GHG intensit is discussed in Sectin 6.8.2 the Drat EIS and a cmparisn with current perating nshre LNG Plants is presented in igure 6.18 (see als respnse t submissin Reerence Number 7 abve). Te Prelude LNG acilit is energ efcient in cmparisn t man land-based LNG plants but its verall GHG emissins are impacted b Prelude’s high reservir Co 2 levels. It is unclear hw the Submissin Part arrived at a GHG intensit r Prelude LNG ~0.43 tGHG/tLNG. igure 6.18 in the Drat EIS shws Prelude’s GHG intensit r the LNG plant is 0.29 tGHG/tLNG&LPG (excluding upstream uel usage and reservir Co 2 emissins) and 0.54 tGHG/tLNG&LPG i the reservir Co 2 emissins are included. 2.3.6
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
13
DEWHA
With regards t the discussin abut the Carbn Pllutin Reductin Scheme (CPRS), it was nted that ur reerral initiall raised the p ssibilit using gesequestratin as a methd t reduce carbn emissins. yur drat EIS dcument als nted n page 100 that gesequestratin ma be cnsidered at a later stage in the lie the prject but prvided n urther cmmitment t this. Given the current uncertaint regarding the CPRS, the Department cnsiders that Shell needs t utline urther ptins t set r mitigate green huse emissins which will be implemented thrughut the peratin lie the acilit
Shell has a glbal strateg n management Co 2 that recgnises what we call the three hard truths: • • •
Global energy demand is accelerating; Easy oil and gas supply will struggle to keep pace; and Climate stress makes dealing with CO 2 imperative.
Shell’s respnse t this r their glbal peratins is t: • • • •
Maximise eciency of operations (Prelude has a high thermal eciency as described in the Drat EIS Sections 4.4.2 and 6.8.3 and Section 2.3.5 o this document); Seek to use CO2 capture and strage (Prelude is investigating geosequestration – see below); Leverage technology (Prelude will use foating LNG which is a leading edge combination o their LNG, Oshore and LNG shipping technologies) ; and Produce low CO2 surces energ (Power stations using gas rom LNG as a uel emit hal the CO 2 compared to coal).
Shell advcates that a “cap & trade” sstem r large statinar surces Co 2 emissins can create a glbal Co2 market which will be the mst eective means t incentivise industr t reduce their carbn tprint. Given the glbal cncerns n climate change, we cnsider that b the time the Prelude LNG Prject cmmences peratins in 2016, sme tpe sstem will be in place in Australia that puts a value n carbn emissins. Terere, we view the current delas and uncertainties n the CPRS, r an alternative, as temprar and nt signicant enugh t warrant an change in strateg r the Prelude LNG Prject. Shell believes carbn capture and strage will be a ke technlg t cmbat climate change. r the Prelude LNG Prject, Shell is cntinuing t investigate pssible means t gesequester Prelude’s reservir Co 2 (See sectin 4.4.2 the Drat EIS,
10
Prelude FLNG Project
pages 53–56). However, whilst resolution of the signicant technical and economic challenges involved with geosequestration r Prelude (descried n pages 54-55 the Drat EIS) is underway, it is nt pssile t guarantee that they can all e vercme. on this asis, Shell is nt ale t make a cmmitment n gesequestratin reservir Co 2 r the Prelude LNG Prject. Gesequestratin reservir Co2 will nly e undertaken i it can e demnstrated th within Shell and t external regulatrs, and within prject timerames, that gesequestratin is technically and cmmercially viale. At a prject level, Shell’s HSSE Cntrl ramewrk (see Sectin 2.8 the Drat EIS) requires the develpment and maintenance a Greenhuse Gas Management Plan. Prelude’s Greenhuse Gas Management Plan (see Sectin 7.7 the Drat EIS) will present Prelude’s Greenhuse Strategy and an evaluatin energy efciency and GHG aatement ptins. Te plan will als capture Prelude’s ligatins under the Energy Efciency opprtunities and Natinal Greenhuse and Energy Reprting Acts (see Sectin 2.3.3 the Drat EIS). Given the ave, the asis upn which Shell has develped the Drat EIS and seeks envirnmental apprval r the Prelude LNG Prject is as llws: • • • •
Te reservoir CO2 will be safely discharged up the are stack after its separation from the feedgas; Maximising energy eciency and reducing emissions wherever practicable through design choices and good operation; Supporting the proposed Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) and meeting all obligations under the Scheme; and Undertaking further studies during design to further minimize aring, optimize process availability and reliaility and investigate gesequestratin.
Te Drat EIS cncluded that GHG emissins rm the Prelude LNG Prject will cntriute n a cumulative asis t glal GHG emissins ut will nt have any direct negative envirnmental impact n receptrs, including matters Natinal Envirnmental Signicance, in the prject area the brwse basin. 2.3.7
Nitrogen
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
8
Ari Chakraarti
ale 6.32 des nt shw any excess gas rm end ash stage eing sent t are. It appears that the assumptin is that all the Nitrgen rich gas rm the end ash is used as uel gas. What is the Nitrgen level in the eed gas assumed? Please state Nitrgen in eed gas and what sensitivity this is allwed in making these emissin gures.
As shwn in igure 4.7 the Drat EIS, the end ash gas generated when the LNG is ashed dwn t atmspheric pressure is captured and cmpressed int the LP uelgas system, rather than vented r ared. Tis is in line with the ‘n venting and n aring rm rutine peratins principles’ applied t the Prelude Prject as descried in Sectin 4.8.4 the Drat EIS. Prelude eed gas cntains a lw cncentratin nitrgen (0.6 ml %) s the end ash gas cntains a relatively small vlume nitrgen (aut 10 vl%), making it suitale as uelgas. 2.3.8
Boil-of gas
Reference Number
Submission Party
9
Ari Chakraarti
Issue Raised Sectin 6.8.3: Reduced il- due t shrter prduct line is included in emissin reductin calculatin. Tis is nly a temprary eect eventually all the lighter gases and nitrgen will il- the strage tank in curse time. What aut increased il- due t cnstant slshing in the strage tanks, has this een taken int accunt?
11
Once liqueed, LNG is stored at atmospheric pressure and at its boiling point temperature of –161°C. With such a huge dierence in the temperature LNG cmpared t the utside amient temperature, signicant erts are made t insulate the pipes and tanks in which LNG is stred t limit the amunt heat inleak (asrptin) and hence reduce the rate il the LNG prduct. LNG lading lines, when nt in use, are maintained at a crgenic temperature recirculating LNG rm the LNG strage tanks thrugh the dual line sstem. Tis is necessar t avid repeated thermal expansin and cntractin which can damage ellws and pipe supprts. onshre LNG plants tpicall have several kilmetres such linewrk which increases the s urace area r heat inleak. Prelude LNG has an advantage with much shrter rundwn lines t strage and exprt lines r lading nt LNG Carriers. Tis is nt a temprar eect. It will cntriute t reduced il ver the lie the prject. Te main parameter impacting il gas rates strage tanks is the extent heat inleak thrugh the laers insulatin int the LNG tanks, nt tank mtins. LNG carriers tpicall have il rates their LNG carg aut 0.15% per da. Newer designs are reducing this t 0.1% per da. r nshre LNG strage tanks, the il rate is lwer at aut 0.05% per da due t mre eective tank insulatin. r Prelude, the il rate assumed is 0.15% per da and this gure has een taken int accunt in the uel gas alance and emissins presented in the Drat EIS.
2.4
SHIPPING MoVEMENS AND SPILLS
2.4.1
Shipping visitation
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
14
DEWHA
Vessel Strike When peratins cmmence, arund 23 vessels will undertake rund jurnes t the LNG acilit each mnth. We cnsider that this increase in vessel trac etween the prpsed acilit and the prts brme and Darwin culd increase the risk vessel strike n cetaceans ecause vessels transiting etween the Prt brme and the prpsed acilit etween the mnths Jul t Nvemer will intersect the humpack whale migratin pathwa. Te prpnent intends t mitigate this risk develping and implementing “Vessel cetacean interactin prcedures” (at 207). Tese prcedures wuld reuire drilling, cnstructin and suppl cntractrs engaged Shell t maintain a watch r cetaceans when transiting, t nt knwingl apprach within 500m cetaceans, t take actins t avid cetaceans lcated within a distance 500m rm the vessel when sae t d s. Te cntractrs wuld e reuired t cmplete a ‘Whale and Dlphin Sighting Reprt Sheet’ in the event that cetaceans were sighted. However – given the correlation between higher vessel speeds and the incidence of vessel strike – we recommend the proponent consider limiting vessel speeds r vessels transecting the humpack whale migratr pathwa etween Jul and Nvemer. We recmmend the prpnent include the llwing inrmatin and measures in its upcming reerral:
Vessel opeations:
12
Prelude FLNG Project
poected eqency and timing o vessel movements between the Pot o Boome and the poposed acility;
vessel sizes; and,
opeational vessel speeds
operatinal shipping activit assciated with the Prelude Prject is discussed in Sectin 4.8.4 the Drat EIS. Te Sumissin Part incrrectl calculates that arund 23 return jurnes per mnth will e undertaken etween the acilit and the Maintenance Wrkshp, lcated in either brme r Darwin. Te numer vessel jurnes rm the Prt brme r Darwin t the LNG acilit is cnsideral lwer, arund 36 per mnth as descried elw. Tis is a similar level activit used t supprt mst manned shre installatins. A signicant advantage LNG and lating Prductin, Strage and ofading (PSo) il/cndensate acilities, cmpared t an nshre develpment, is that there is n need r exprt tankers t travel t castal prts. Tis remves the need r exprt tankers t transit castal whale migratin rutes, the lading and transprt large vlumes hdrcarns in castal envirnments and the discharge allast water in castal envirnments. Prelude’s weekl LNG carriers, mnthl LPG carriers and rtnightl cndensate tankers will nt transit acrss the humpack migratin path rm the LNG t the Prt brme. LNG Carriers will return with a ull lad t LNG receiving terminals verseas, mst likel in Asia. LPG and cndensate tankers ma travel t ther prts t cmplete lading ere discharging their cargs verseas r within Australia. Hwever, the Prt brme has n capacit t accept LNG, LPG r cndensate tankers. e FLNG facility will be supported by 3-4 vessels; two tugs which will be based at the FLNG facility itself and only return t the Maintenance Wrkshp ccasinall r maintenance, and 12 suppl vessels that will visit the LNG acilit ever week r tw during peratins. In ttal, it estimated that there will e 36 vessel return jurnes etween the Maintenance Wrkshp and LNG acilit per mnth. Te tugs and suppl vessels will e similar in design and size t the tugs and suppl vessels that service existing shre installatins and cmmercial prts in Australia. As descried in Sectin 6.3.3 the Drat EIS, these vessels, as well as the exprt tankers, are all displacement hull vessels which perate at lw speeds, tpicall less than 20 knts. Tusands similar displacement hull vessels wrk and transit the humpack whale migratin rute t access the Prts bunur, remantle, Geraldtn, Shark ba Salt, Exmuth, onslw, Dampier, Cape Lamert, Prt Hedland and brme n the west cast Australia, and similarl n the east cast Australia, with ver ew incidents cllisins with whales. Shell has alread cmmitted that drilling, cnstructin and suppl vessels will maintain a watch r cetaceans when transiting, t nt knwingl apprach within 500m cetaceans and t take actins t avid cetaceans within 500m the vessel when sae t d s. Given that the small numer vessels transiting etween the Prelude LNG acilit and the Maintenance Wrkshp are displacement hull vessels that travel at relativel lw speeds, there is n reasn t limit vessel speeds urther at an time ear. 2.4.2
Spills
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
10
Ari Chakraarti
EIS shuld highlight ptential large LNG spill due t LNG t LNGC r LNGC t LNGC cllisin and its impact.
Hdrcarn spills and leaks are discussed in Sectin 6.9.2 the Drat EIS. Spills LNG and LPG, th large and small, are nt discussed in detail ecause the d nt present a signicant envirnmental risk t the marine envirnment. Unlike cndensate and diesel, which are discussed in detail in Sectin 6.9.2 the Drat EIS, th LNG and LPG are nntxic liuids which wuld vlatise uickl (instantl) in the event a lss cntainment. bth LNG and LPG are stred at atmspheric pressure and kept liuid heavil insulated tanks, with LNG stred at its iling pint 161°C and LPG at 42°C r prpane and 12°C r utane. Given the pen cean lcatin the Prelude prject and the lack receptrs, the nntxic nature the liuids and their rapid vlatizatin upn discharge, envirnmental impacts a spill LNG r LPG wuld e minimal.
13
A large spill LNG r LPG hwever wuld pse a signicant saet risk t wrkers n the acilit. Cnsiderale wrk n all the saet aspects the LNG acilit, including mitigatin and cntrls spills, has alread een cmpleted and will e urther develped during the Prelude rnt End Engineering and Design prcess (see Sectin 4.3.3 the Drat EIS). Saet reuirements r the Prelude LNG Prject will e addressed in accrdance with NoPSA’s reuirements. Shell als has an extensive histr and experience in th the LNG/LPG industr (see Sectin 1.6 the Drat EIS) and LNG shipping, thrugh SASCo (Shell Internatinal rading and Shipping Cmpan Limited) which perates ne the largest eet il and gas ships arund the wrld. Te risk a signicant cllisin etween the statinar LNG acilit and a LNG r LPG Carrier, sucient t cause a reach an LNG/LPG tank n either the LNG acilit r the LNG/LPG carrier, is extremel lw given: • • • • • •
•
the FLNG facility is surrounded by a monitored 500 m exclusion safety zone which vessels cannot enter without permission; LNG/LPG Carriers will only approach the FLNG when the weather is suitable and at very low speeds whilst under the control of two tugs as they prepare to berth; the FLNG facility is tted with thrusters to maintain a xed bearing and position during berthing operations; the FLNG facility is tted with very robust Yokohama fenders to protect both the facility and LNG carriers during berthing; both the FLNG facility and LNG/LPG Carriers have double hulls and, for a spill to occur, both hulls on either the FLNG facility or LNG/LPG Carrier as well as the LNG/LPG tank linings would need to be breached; e risk of collisions between LNG/LPG Carriers and other vessels, or within channels and turning basins, is lwer at Prelude than r a similar nshre LNG Plant lcated in an existing prt supprting higher levels shipping trac; and only one export tanker of any description will be loaded at the Prelude FLNG facility at any time (Section 4.8.4 Drat EIS).
In cnclusin, LNG and LPG spills are nt cnsidered urther in the drat EIS r Prelude ecause: • •
e risk of such a spill is very low and the environmental impact would be minimal; and ere is a lack of external societal receptors near the project location (Broome is 475 km away).
2.5
IMPACS o ACILIIES oN AUNA
2.5.1
Collision and entanglement
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
15
DEWHA
Subsea infrastructure collision/entanglement
Te prpsed acilit extracts hdrcarn thrugh a susea inrastructure arra which includes anchrs, exile risers, wlines, riser ase manilds, umilicals and wellheads. Tese devices will cver 7,701m² sear. Tese devices ma pse a cllisin and/r entanglement risk t cetaceans and marine turtles. Terere we recmmend that the prpnent:
14
Prelude FLNG Project
i)
utlines its ratinale as t wh its susea inrastructure pses n cllisin and/r entanglement risk t cetaceans and,
ii)
devises mitigatin measures t minimise harm psed its susea inrastructure t marine auna (i.e. cetaceans and marine turtles) i cllisin/entanglement is identied as a risk
Te susea inrastructure listed in ale 6.6 the Drat EIS and discussed in the ave sumissin is all ling directl at n r in the seaed and pses n cllisin r entanglement risk t cetaceans r turtles. Te Sumissin Part’s cncern is presumal aut the LNG’s mring sstem which hlds the LNG acilit in place. Tis sstem cnsists 24 mring chains arranged in ur grups six. Each mring chain is cmprised chain tp and ttm separated steel wire in the middle sectin. All sectins the mring chain have a diameter apprximatel 20cm and the LNG acilit has a dead weight apprximatel 600,000 tnnes when ull allasted. Te dimensins each mring chain and the tensin lad that the chains are held under means that the mring sstem ehaves almst as a slid s tructure and there is simpl n pssiilit that whales r cetaceans can ecme entangled in these chains. Due t the dimensins the chains and the tensin lads, the LNG acilit mring sstem is nt cmparale in an wa t shark nets r cra pt rpes which are knwn t have caused entanglement cetaceans including whales. Te mring sstem the LNG acilit is essentiall identical t the sstems used PSos arund the gle, including the 12 PSo’s in nrthern Australia mentined in Sectin 4.5 the Drat EIS. Shell is unaware an recrded cases cetacean r turtle entanglement with PSo mring sstems. N mitigatin measures t minimise entanglement r cllisin risks cetaceans r turtles with susea inrastructure r the LNG mring sstem are prpsed ecause this is nt a real risk and mitigatin measures are nt warranted. 2.5.2
Anchors and drilling
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
18
DEWHA
Anchoring to benthos
Te prpsed acilit will e held in psitin ur grups six anchr chains, arranged at the ur uadrants arund the LNG turret. Te chains are secured suctin piles which will penetrate deep int the enths. Te pile will be 10m in diameter and 20-30m in length – each weighing between 140180 tnnes. Given the prpnent intends t depl anchrage devices nt the enths and the signicant size and weight the anchrs, we reuest the develpment an anchring prcedure t minimise disturance t the enthic haitat. Te preparatin an anchring prcedure was included in the Marine Divisin’s advice r reerrals EPbC 2009/5160 and EPbC 2009/5122. Tese prpsals were relativel less cmplex than this prpsal. Discharge of waste Drill cuttings – the drilling of eight wells into the benthos will produce 8,000m² drill cuttings. Rck and sand particles will e separated rm drilling uid and discarded ver the side the drilling rig. Te discharge cuttings will lead t an increase in water sedi mentatin (“turidit”) ver 12km² area. mitigate the mderate levels harm psed the discharge drill cuttings, the prpnent states it will llw “[s]tandard Australian industr drilling practices”. We recmmend that the prpnent utline which standard Australian industr practices it intends t llw, and elucidate hw these will mitigate the ptential harm risk.
Te precise lcatin the suctin anchrs used t hld the LNG acilit in place is the suject nging getechnical investigatins t determine the suitailit the seaed and the precise lcatin each anchr. Hwever, envirnmental surves the enthic envirnment where the susea inrastructure is t e installed, including the mring sstem, which are descried in Sectin 5.3.4 and 6.3 the Drat EIS, cncluded that the sear enthic cmmunit lcal t the prpsed LNG acilit is radl distriuted and lw envirnmental sensitivit. Te seaed is cmprised
15
st sediments and there are n signicant tpgraphical eatures in the regin the LNG acilit. Te magnitude the impact n the enthic envirnment was cncluded t e lw. A wrk prcedure will e develped t cntrl the installatin the anchrs. Te drilling practices t e used r the drilling the develpment wells r the Prelude Prject are descried in Sectin 4.8.1 the Drat EIS:
“Well dilling o the Pelde FLNG Poect will se two types o mds, both wate based md (WBM) and synthetic based md (SBM). Te SBM will be sed on the deepe and moe challenging well sections. WBMs ae sally dischaged to sea at the end o thei sel lie o at the end o the dilling pogam, wheeas SBMs ae ecoveed and etned onshoe o ecycling o disposal. able 4.3 povides the poposed md popeties to be sed at Pelde. Cttings om sections dilled with SBM ae passed thogh a d ye beoe dischage to edce the volme o synthetic md coating the ock. Some small qantities o md willnevetheless be lost oveboad with the dill cttings, estimated at appoximately 36 m 3 o SBM o each well. Following completion o the well, the well will be fowed to the dilling ig to emove liqids om the well (well cleanp), beoe closing in the well to await hookp to the sbsea acilities. Cleanp involves fowing well fids and bine to the ig stoage tanks and diveting esevoi gas to bnes. Well cleanp will typically involve fowing the well at p to 150 million scd and bning the podced fid o one to two days to ense all dilling liqids ae emoved om the well. Ding cleanp, the well’s fowing peomance will be assessed. It is likely that all eight well cleanps will be ndetaken one ate the othe at the end o the dilling pogam…….
Liquid Waste Liqid wastes om the dilling pogam ae expected to inclde:……..
WBM, which is dischaged to sea in blk at the end o the dilling pogam as pe standad oil indsty pactice. Mino volmes o SBM (appoximately 36 m 3 pe well) – all dischages o cttings contaminated with SBM md will be meased sing standad Astalian oileld pocedes and shold contain less than 6.9% esidal SBM by weight. Tee will be no dmping o blk SBM.”
urther details will e prvided in the ‘Drillings and Cmpletin Prgram’ and the ‘Drilling Envirnment Plan’ which must e apprved the regulatr prir t drilling activities cmmencingsee Sectin 2. 4 the Drat EIS.
16
Prelude FLNG Project
2.5.3
Light
Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
16
DEWHA
Light emissions (turtles)
……We reuest a cp the ull assessment which was prepared r the prpnent Envirnmental Resurces Management (2009) in rder t veri the assessment ndings. ……Te prpnent states that the will limit the practice aring, hwever it des nt prvide prjected reuencies r timings. ……We recmmend that the prpnent mnitrs (with the assistance experts) the eect aring (and ther articial lighting) n marine turtles n brwse Island, and i necessar intrduce additinal mitigatin measures t avid disrientatin nesting turtles r hatchlings. We als recmmend the prpnent prvide a cp the llwing materials r ur review:
a ull cp the assessment which was prepared r the prpnent Envirnmental Resurces Management (2009) regarding articial lighting, marine turtles and Browse Island;
a ull cp the mdelling reprt regarding lighting and migratr irds
Sectin 6.4 the Drat EIS presents a detailed assessment and prpsed mitigatin measures t address the ptential impacts LNG acilit lighting n turtles at brwse Island. Sectin 6.4 the Drat EIS was ased n the line sight assessments undertaken ERM (ERM, 2009). A cp the ERM reprt (ERM, 2009) was prvided t DEWHA n the 23rd Jul, 2009 alng with the Drat EIS. Te line sight assessment determined that peratinal lights n the prcess deck the LNG acilit can e seen a turtle ut t a distance 27 km rm the acilit. brwse Island is lcated 40 km rm the LNG acilit s it is crrectl cncluded in the Drat EIS that prcess deck lighting can nt impact adult turtles r hatchlings in the vicinit r n brwse Island. Te LNG acilit are is a 154m structure and when peratinal, the line site assessment und that the are can e seen ut t a distance 51 km rm the acilit, which encmpasses brwse Island. Hwever, as dcumented in the Drat EIS, the LNG has een designed s that aring is nt reuired r rutine peratins and nl reuired r prcess upsets r emergencies which are nt planned. Ater cmmissining the acilit, nce stead state peratins have een achieved, it is estimated that the aring will ccur less than 1% the time (p 71, Sectin 4.8.4 the Drat EIS). Terere, given: • • • •
•
Process lighting will not be visible at Browse Island with a 13km buer zone; “Once in the wate, ttle hatchling navigation is ndestood to be infenced pedominantly by wave motion, cents and the eath’s magnetic eld (Lohmann and Lohmann, 1992), athe than light.” (p131 Draft EIS); Flaring is expected to occur less than 1 % of the time during normal operations (p 71, Section 4.8.4 of the Draft EIS); “Stdies also sggest that light geneated by faes may not aect hatchlings as mch as othe light soces.” (p131 Drat EIS). Tis is urther supprted DEWHA cmment in their sumissin: “Adlt and hatchling geen ttles ae most eceptive to the geen and ble potions o the visible light spectm and least eceptive to the yellow/ oange to ed potions.” ; and “As the fae will be low on the hoizon, the Island’s landmass will block light om the fae to the sothen beaches so that no beaches on Bowse Island will be sbected to light om the fae on thei landwad hoizon and the landwad hoizons will emain nalteed to nesting and hatchling ttles.” (p133 Drat EIS)
17
the Drat EIS cncludes that the impacts lighting n turtle hatchlings and adult turtles are cnsidered t e a lw magnitude, unlikel and assessed t e minr signicance. Prelude pses n real risk t turtles n brwse Island. Terere, there is n need t undertake mnitring turtles n brwse Island and Shell is nt prpsing t undertake an mnitring. Reference Number
Submission Party
Issue Raised
17
DEWHA
Lighting Plan
We hld cncerns r the prpnent’s intentin t utilise green r lue articial lighting (we nte this clur range is least attractive t migratr seairds). Adult and hatchling green turtles are mst receptive t the green and lue prtins the visile light spectrum and least receptive t the ellw/range t red prtins. Tus green r lue articial lighting has the ptential t disrupt adult and hatchling rientatin at night and inhiit nesting attempts emales (which wuld e cncern i such light reached brwse Island). urthermre, turtles transiting the area ma e attracted t the facility – making them more susceptible to vessel strike or entanglement in the inrastructure arra. We recgnise that the prpnent will develp a detailed plan lighting r the LNG acilit during the rntEnd Engineering and Design phase (at 128) and recmmend that the light management plan e develped with input rm experts in the eld. Tis will ensure that the mst apprpriate tpes lighting are selected t limit ptential negative impacts n turtles. Te prpnent shuld prceed t develp and implement and eective lighting plan during the rntEnd Engineering and Design phase (at 128) that will ensure that the mst apprpriate tpes lighting are selected t limit the ptential negative impacts n seairds as well as marine turtles. Additinall, we reuire the prpnent t:
prvide a cp its prpsed lighting plan and supprting scientic information to DEWHA; and
dcument its “n aring” principle int a plan (t e suseuentl prvided t DEWHA)
Sectin 6.4 the Drat EIS discusses the ptential impacts lighting n envirnmental receptrs. Shell utlined three design mitigatin measures which reduce the ptential r adverse impacts n the marine envirnment, irds and turtles in particular. Tese are: • ‘Locating the FLNG acility in an aea that is distant to the closest known signicant envionmental sensitivities.’ Te LNG acilit is lcated 40 km rm brwse Island and prcess lighting cannt e seen turtles n r near Browse Island (see above response); • ‘Te FLNG acility will be designed to ese hydocabon waste steams geneated by nomal opeations (“no faing pinciple”), limiting the extent and dation o faing.’ laring is expected t ccur less than 1 % the time during normal operations; and • ‘Lighting o the FLNG acility will be designed with the obective o edcing light spill, sbect to meeting all wokplace health and saety, and navigational eqiements. Design meases that will be consideed will inclde: limiting the eects o efecting saces by assessing the location o lminaies and the se o lowefective paints; locating lminaies in sch a way that they ae shielded as a as pacticable om diect lineo sight om sonding view points; diecting lminaies inwads on the FLNG acility and away om the ocean; and the peeential se o lowimpact spectm illmination (inclding the se o geen o ble lighting) ove ed, oange and white extenal lighting.’
18
Prelude FLNG Project
Te cmmitment t cnsider the preerential use ‘lowimpact spectm illmination (inclding the se o geen o ble lighting) ove ed, oange and white extenal lighting’ was t minimise ptential impacts n migratr irds which are mre sensitive t the rangered prtin the visile light spectrum (see Sectin 6.4.6 Drat EIS). urtles are sensitive t lighting as hatchlings and when nesting ut less sensitive t lighting when in the water. While turtles are mre sensitive t wavelengths in the range 300 t 500 nanmeters, which includes the lue and green wavelengths, the LNG acilit is lcated sucientl distant rm brwse Island such that prcess lighting is nt visile within 13 km brwse Island (see respnse ave). Given the large separatin distance etween brwse Island and the visile extent prcess lighting, it is sensile t cnsider the preerential use lwimpact spectrum illuminatin (including the use green r lue lighting) r the LNG acilit. Shell will seek expert input int the design lighting n the LNG acilit, including advice n the apprpriate use lwimpact spectrum illuminatin.
19
APPENDIX A
SuBMISSIONS rECEIVED FOr HE PrELuDE FLOAING LNG PrOjEC Submission 1: Rudi Oversman
21
Submission 2: Ari Chakrabarti From: Ari Chakrabarti [mailto:XXXXXXXXXXX] Sent: uesda, 17 Nvemer 2009 3:18 PM To: SDA Preludedrateis SDA Subject: Cmment n Shell Prelude LNG EIS Regarding Shell Prelude LNG EIS, Drat EIS igure 6.18 shws cmparisn GHG intensit r a grup 10 existing wrld scale LNG acilities enchmarked against the Prelude LNG acilit. Hwever, it is nt clear hw the gures 10 existing acilities have een estimated. Te detailed calculatin asis, including amunt sutracted as upstream peratin, shuld e elarated. In EIS r recent LNG prjects in Australia, enchmarked cmparisn has een presented, and it shws specic names each prject. r Prelude prject, similar cmparisn shuld e presented als. Te examples are:
queensland Curtis LNG EIS Vlume 7 Chapter 2 igure 7.2.4 benchmarked Greenhuse Emissins Intensit
Plut LNG Prject Greenhuse Gas Aatement Prgram, Chapter 4 igure 6 Greenhuse Intensit Majr LNG Plants Wrldwide
Gladstne GLNG Prject Envirnmental Impact Statement, Sectin 6 igure 6.9.1 benchmarked GHG Ecienc
EIS r recent LNG prjects in Australia presents detailed asis GHG emiss in, hwever, Prelude EIS des nt shw the asis 1,260 ktpa in ale 4.6. Detailed estimate asis, such as Co2 emissin rm steam ilers, steam cnsumptin varius turines, and s n, shuld e presented. It is cmmnl recgnized in LNG industr that thermal ecienc steam turine driven will e lwer than that gas turine driven. rm the reerrals recent LNG Nrth West Shel rain 4 (2000) Darwin (2002) Grgn (2004) Plut (2007) Gladstne (2009) Curtis Island (2009) Prelude (2009)
22
Prelude FLNG Project
prjects in Australia, the emissin rates (tGHG/tLNG&LPG) are indicated as elw. 0.44 0.46 0.35 0.33 0.35 0.26 0.33
Cmpared t Curtis Island design, Prelude shuld have a lt pssiilities t imprve emissin rate and thermal ecienc. ale 6.32 des nt shw an excess gas rm end ash stage eing sent t are. It appears that the assumptin is that all the Nitrgen rich gas rm the end ash is used as uel gas. What is the Nitrgen level in the eed gas assumed? Please state Nitrgen in eed gas and what sensitivit this is allwed in making these emissin gures. Sectin 6.8.3: Reduced il due t shrter prduct line is included in emissin reductin calculatin. Tis is nl a temprar eect eventuall all the lighter gases and nitrgen will il the strage tank in curse time. What aut increased il due t cnstant slshing in the strage tanks, has this een taken int accunt? EIS shuld highlight ptential large LNG spill due t LNG t LNGC r LNGC t LNGC cllisin and its impact. End cmments Speci whether u wish r ur sumissin t remain cndential: Nt Applicale Personal details: Name: Ari Chakraarti Address: XXXXXXXXXXXXX Interest in Prelude FLNG: General interest in Energ prjects in Australia
23
Submission 3: Simon Dean From: Simn Dean [mailt: simn.dean@kpc.cm.m] Sent: rida, 20 Nvemer 2009 2:03 PM To: SDA Preludedrateis SDA Subject: Cmments n drat EIS I have a numer cmments. 1. Te selectin steam ilers r main pwer generatin ver a cmined ccle gas turine and waste heat recver sstem means that u have t cmpl with Wrld bank EHS reuirements 320 mg/m3 Nox cncentratin in the exhaust stream. A cmined ccle gas turine sstem wuld have a lwer limit 25 ppmv (euivalent t 47 mg/m3 at 25C). Terere, the selectin steam ilers r main pwer generatin as ppsed t cmined ccle gas turines is nt the est availale technlg r minimisatin Nox emissins. 2. Te Plut LNG GHG Aatement Prgram (cp attached) cntains a graph (igure 6) that shws the nnes GHG per tnne LNG prduced. A rugh calculatin r Prelude indicates that the develpment will emit ~0.43 e Co2 per e LNG (euivalent). Tis is hardl est in class s hw des this cmpare t an nshre LNG acilit? regards, Simn Dean
24
Prelude FLNG Project
Submission 4: DEWHA Hi XXXXX urther t ur cnversatin esterda (3 Decemer 2009). Attached are the nalised cmments n the drat EIS dcument r the Prelude lating LNG including urther reuirements r the nal EIS dcument. With regards t the discussin aut the Carn Pllutin Reductin Scheme (CPRS), it was nted that ur reerral initiall raised the pssiilit using geseuestratin as a methd t reduce carn emissins. yur drat EIS dcument als nted n page 100 that geseuestratin ma e cnsidered at a later stage in the lie the prject ut prvided n urther cmmitment t this. Given the current uncertaint regarding the CPRS, the Department cnsiders that Shell needs t utline urther ptins t set r mitigate green huse emissins which will e implemented thrughut the peratin lie the acilit. Kind regards David Rhind queensland Sectin Envirnment Assessment branch Department the Envirnment, Water Heritage and the Arts Po bx 787 Canerra AC 2600
25
EPbC REERRAL No 2008/4146 SHELL PRELUDE LoAING LNG PRoJEC Cmments re Drat Envirnmental Impact Statement PRoPoSAL: Shell Develpment (Australia) Pt Ltd prpses the develpment a lating Liueed Natural Gas (LNG) acilit in the nrthern brwse basin within Petrleum Explratin Permit Area WA371P. Te site is lcated in Cmmnwealth waters apprximatel 200km NW rm the Western Australian castline and 475km NNE brme. Water depth ranges etween 200250m. Te site is lcated 40km NNE rm brwse Island and apprximatel 200km rm the Maret Islands. Te prpsed LNG acilit is similar in cncept t PSos (lating Prductin, Strage and ofading) acilities r the prductin il and gas) that perate arund the Nrthwest Marine Regin. Its dimensins include a length 480m, a width 7080m and a maximum height 134m. Arund 400 persnnel will e reuired n ard t perate the acilit. Te acilit will prduce 5.2 millin tnnes hdrcarn per annum (3.6 millin tnnes LNG and 0.4 millin tnnes LPG and 1.3 millin tnnes cndensate). Te prductin this amunt hdrcarn will in turn prduce 2.3 millin tnnes carn dixide (Co²) per annum. Gas rm the Prelude gas reservir will e extracted rm susea wells and will w via wlines and exile risers t the internal turret the LNG acilit. Te acilit will e mred t the seaed via a rtating turret that will enale the acilit t maneuvre in snchrn with sea and wind mvements (i.e. “weathervane”). Te acilit is designed t withstand severe cclnic activit. reuent vessel trac t and rm the acilit is anticipated. It will include LNG tankers (ur per mnth), LPG tankers (ne per mnth), cndensate tankers (tw each mnth), suppl vessels (ur per mnth) and tugs (tw present at each LNG and LPG tanker erthing, and ne per cndensate tanker erthing).
Cetaceans Vessel Strike When peratins cmmence, arund 23 vessels will undertake rund jurnes t the LNG acilit each mnth. We cnsider that this increase in vessel trac etween the prpsed acilit and the prts brme and Darwin culd increase the risk vessel strike n cetaceans ecause vessels transiting etween the Prt brme and the prpsed acilit etween the mnths Jul t Nvemer will intersect the humpack whale migratin pathwa. Te prpnent intends t mitigate this risk develping and implementing “Vessel cetacean interactin prcedures” (at 207). Tese prcedures wuld reuire drilling, cnstructin and suppl cntractrs engaged Shell t maintain a watch r cetaceans when transiting, t nt knwingl apprach within 500m cetaceans, t take actins t avid cetaceans lcated within a distance 500m rm the vessel when sae t d s. Te cntractrs wuld e reuired t cmplete a ‘Whale and Dlphin Sighting Reprt Sheet’ in the event that c etaceans were sighted.
26
Prelude FLNG Project
However – given the correlation between higher vessel speeds and the incidence of vessel strike – we recommend the prpnent cnsider limiting vessel speeds r vessels transecting the humpack whale migratr pathwa etween Jul and Nvemer. Nte that the Marine Divisin’s Cetacean Sectin has reuested that it des nt need t e prvided with these sheets and that the prpnent shuld direct recrds t AWD. Noise emissions Te prpnent states n page 144 that: “[t]he nise reuencies prduced during peratin the LNG acilit will verlap with hearing and vcalisatin reuencies aleen whales and t a lesser extent tthed whales”. Te nise generated rm the acilit will exceed 150 db re 1μPa within 200 m the LNG acilit during take activities and 30 m during nrmal peratins. Scientic advice we have received states that the sund energ prduced the acilit is likel t elicit avidance ehaviur in cetaceans. Hwever, as signicant and/r cnstant cncentratins cetaceans are unlikel t e within the area the acilit the nise emitted rm the LNG acilit is unlikel t signicantl eect majr migratr ehaviur r distur calving r resting activities. Subsea infrastructure collision/entanglement Te prpsed acilit extracts hdrcarn thrugh a susea inrastructure arra which includes anchrs, exile risers, wlines, riser ase manilds, umilicals and wellheads. Tese devices will cver 7,701m² sear. Tese devices ma pse a cllisin and/r entanglement risk t cetaceans and marine turtles. Terere we recmmend that the prpnent: FLNG Facility
LNG Carrier
Anchors
Flowlines
Wellheads
27
iii) utlines its ratinale as t wh its susea inrastructure pses n cllisin and/r entanglement risk t cetaceans and, iv) devises mitigatin measures t minimise harm psed its susea inrastructure t marine auna (i.e. cetaceans and marine turtles) i cllisin/entanglement is identied as a risk
urtles Te nearest knwn turtle reeding, nesting, r eeding grunds are lcated n brwse Island which is apprximatel 40 km t the sutheast the prpsed acilit. Green turtles that nest n brwse Island are a reginall signicant reeding ppulatin that is likel t e part the small geneticall distinct Sctt Ree reeding unit. Te prpsed acilit is nt lcated near atack turtle nesting eaches, hwever this species ma transit thrugh the prpsed develpment area etween nesting eaches and raging areas. Impacts are likel t e heightened during the mating and nesting s easn r turtles, althugh turtles are unlikel t rage at depth ranges 200250m. Light emissions Light emissions may disorientate marine turtles and disrupt biologically important behaviours – i.e. migration, nesting, reeding and raging. Mrever, light emissins ma concently attract and cncentrate marine turtles and predatrs t and around the light source – exposing the former to injury or mortality. Te prpnent cmmissined an assessment the ptential eect n turtles nesting n brwse Island as a result light emanating rm the acilit at nrmal peratins. Te assessment und that the light rm the acilit was visile t turtles t a maximum distance 27 kms (at 132). Tis was under nrmal peratins. When aring, light wuld be visible to turtles out to a distance of 51 km from the facility – which puts it within the range of turtle nesting and raging at brwse Island. Te prpnent indicates that althugh the light ma e visile n the island’s nrthern eaches and lw n the seaward hrizn, it is unlikel that the light wuld e visile n the suthern eaches due t the island’s topography. As a result, the proponent claims that the landward horizon would remain unaltered – thus limiting the risk nesting and hatchling disrientatin. We reuest a cp the ull assessment which was prepared r the prpnent Envirnmental Resurces Management (2009) in rder t veri the assessment ndings. Te prpnent states that the will limit the practice aring, hwever it des nt prvide prjected reuencies r timings. laring will e visile rm brwse Island, which is an imprtant green turtle nesting site. While we recgnise the imprtant saet unctin aring, we supprt the prpnent’s intentin t minimise aring where cnsideratins peratinal saet allw (especiall during peak nesting perids). It is unknwn whether light rm the prpsed acilit’s are stack wuld disrientate nesting turtles and hatchlings at a each 40km rm the are. We recmmend that the prpnent mnitrs (with the assistance experts) the eect aring (and ther articial lighting) n marine turtles n brwse Island, and i necessar intrduce additinal mitigatin measures t avid disrientatin nesting turtles r hatchlings.
28
Prelude FLNG Project
We recgnise the prpnent’s aim t design the acilit in a manner that mitigates the ptential eects lighting. It intends t:
utilise low reective paints and assess location of luminaries to reduce area of reective surfaces; position luminaries in a position (i.e. inward towards the facility) so as to reduce seaward reection of light; implement a “no aring” principle that limits the use of the are stack where possible; where possible, avoid continuous illumination of the proposed facility’s work and accommodation areas; and, ensure vessels restrict use articial lighting t the minimum level reuired r navigatin and saet
We hld cncerns r the prpnent’s intentin t utilise green r lue articial lighting (we note this colo ange is least attactive to migatoy seabids) . Adult and hatchling green turtles are mst receptive t the green and lue prtins the visile light spectrum and least receptive t the ellw/range t red prtins. Tus green r lue articial lighting has the ptential t disrupt adult and hatchling rientatin at night and inhiit nesting attempts emales (which wuld e of concern if such light reached Browse Island). Furthermore, turtles transiting the area may be attracted to the facility – making them mre susceptile t vessel strike r entanglement in the inrastructure arra. We recgnise that the prpnent will develp a detailed plan lighting r the LNG acilit during the rntEnd Engineering and Design phase (at 128) and recmmend that the light management plan e develped with input rm experts in the eld. Tis will ensure that the mst apprpriate tpes lighting are selected t limit ptential negative impacts n turtles. Noise emissions Te prpnent states that nise generated rm the acilit will exceed 150 db re 1μPa within 200 m the LNG acilit during take activities and 30m during nrmal peratins. urtles have een reprted t increase their swimming activit at 155 db re 1μPa and shw mre erratic swimming patterns at 164 db re 1μPa. Given scientic knwledge n the eects nise n turtles is limited, it is dicult t determine what eect the prpsed acilit will have n turtles ver its 25 ear liespan. Marine turtles transiting the prject area etween nesting and raging sites ma e aected nise assciated with the LNG acilit. overall, nise is unlikel t aect turtle nesting ehaviur at brwse Island ecause its distance (40km) rm the acilit.
Migratr birds Seaird nesting and rsting sites and eeding areas are lcated n the shre atlls the Nrthwest Marine Regin. Individuals and cks mixed and single seaird species have een served in the vicinit the prpsed prject area. A numer migratr seairds als pass thrugh the prpsed prject area. Suthward migratin ccurs etween Septemer octer while the nrthward migratin ccurs in April. Castal eeding ccurs etween Decemereruar. Light emissions
Eect o lighting om the acility on nesting poplations Te prpsed acilit will emanate articial light rm generic illuminatin, visual erthing aids, navigatin lights and a are stack. Imprtantl, the are stack is anticipated t stand 154m ave sea level.
29
e principal issue posed by articial lighting is positive phototaxis (Poot et al. 2008) – a phenomenon whereby species are attracted and drawn t an articial light surce. Te assciated risks psitive phttaxis include:
disorientation; disruption of migration; depletion of energy reserves; and, pssile incineratin (where ame stacks are peratinal)
Te prpnent undertk an assessment the ptential aects articial lighting n migratr irds. Te prpnent und that:
seairds have a prpensit t e attracted t the articial red and range prtin the visile light spectrum. Cnversel, the green and lue prtin des nt (we nte this clur range is mst attractive t marine turtles); seairds ing end a >5km radius illuminated shre platrms are unlikel t e attracted/deviate from their ight path; and, seairds ing at an altitude 600m wuld e receptive t the prpsed acilit’s articial lighting at an apprximate distance 151km when the are is peratinal and 127km when the are is nt peratinal.
mitigate the ptential harm risks, the prpnent states it will:
utilise low reective paints and assess location of luminaries to reduce area of reective surfaces; psitin said luminaries in a psitin (i.e. inward twards the acilit) s as t reduce seaward reectin light; where pssile, utilise lwimpact spectrum illuminatin (i.e. lue r green lighting) instead highimpact lighting (i.e. red or orange lighting – noting that red or orange lighting is least attractive to marine turtles); implement a “no aring” principle that limits the use of the are stack; where possible, avoid continuous illumination of the proposed facility’s work and accommodation areas; and, ensure vessels restrict use articial lighting t the minimum level reuired r navigatin and saet.
Te prpnent asserts that “…it is unlikel that migratr irds will e attracted t the lighting the LNG acilit in signicant numers” and that “… the magnitude the eect [ articial lighting] n the seairds is lw. “Te signicance articial lighting n seairds is therere assessed t e minr”. overall, we wuld reuire mre detail regarding prpsed light management arrangements ere we culd cnclude that the prpsed acilit is unlikel t pse signicant risks t migratr irds. In particular:
30
the prpnent shuld prceed t develp and implement and eective lighting plan during the rntEnd Engineering and Design phase (at 128) that will ensure that the mst apprpriate tpes lighting are selected t limit the ptential negative impacts n seairds as well as marine turtles.
Prelude FLNG Project
Additinall, we reuire the prpnent t:
provide a copy of its proposed lighting plan and supporting scientic information to DEWHA; and dcument its “n aring” principle int a plan (t e suseuentl prvided t DEWHA)
Marine Envirnment Anchoring to benthos Te prpsed acilit will e held in psitin ur grups six anchr chains, arranged at the ur uadrants arund the LNG turret. Te chains are secured suctin piles which will penetrate deep int the enths. Te pile will e 10m in diameter and 20-30m in length – each weighing between 140-180 tonnes. Given the prpnent intends t depl anchrage devices nt the enths and the signicant size and weight the anchrs, we reuest the develpment an anchring prcedure t minimise disturance t the enthic haitat. Te preparatin an anchring prcedure was included in the Marine Divisin’s advice r reerrals EPbC 2009/5160 and EPbC 2009/5122. Tese prpsals were relativel less cmplex than this prpsal. Discharge of waste Te prpsed acilit will prduce a range slid and liuid wastes that ma pse a harm risk t the marine envirnment.
Drill cuttings – the drilling of eight wells into the benthos will produce 8,000m² of drill cuttings. Rock and sand particles will e separated rm drilling uid and discarded ver the side the drilling rig. Te discharge cuttings will lead t an increase in water sedimentatin (“turidit”) ver 12km² area. mitigate the mderate levels harm psed the discharge drill cuttings, the prpnent states it will llw “[s] tandard Australian industr drilling practices”. We recmmend that the prpnent utline which standard Australian industr practices it intends t llw, and elucidate hw these will mitigate the ptential harm risk.
Discharge of cooling water – seawater drawn from the ocean will be utilised as a heat exchange medium for the cooling machiner engines and in the petrleum prductin prcess. 50,000m³ seawater (i.e. the vlume euivalent 25 lmpic swimming pls) will e dispersed int the cean each ho at a temperature between 39C°–42C° (approximately 7.5C°–16C° above seasonal ambient water temperatures). Tis euates t the vlume an lmpic swimming pl eing circulated apprximatel nce ever 2. 5 minutes. Sodium hypochlorite – also commonly known as bleach – will be added to the cooling water to inhibit marine growth within the pipewrk the water cling sstem. It is anticipated that the discharged cling water will cntain traces sdium hpchlrite at a level 0.2 ppm. Given the nature and massive vlume liuid in uestin, we are cncerned that the prpsed discharge will pse a threat t the marine envirnment. Tus we recmmend the prpnent undertake hdrgraphical mdelling t determine the w and dispersal characteristics discharged heated sdium hpchlrite treated water, and whether this pses a harm risk t the marine envirnment. Measures will als need t e taken t ensure that seawater intakes d nt pse a signicant risk t marine auna.
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Disposal of sewage, grey water, food waste and putrescibles – the proponent intends to dispose treated sewage, treated grey water, d waste and putresciles int the cean. Sewage and grey water – will be treated and discharged in accordance with MARPOL guidelines. e facility is estimated t prduce 30m³ sewage and gre water per da during the cmmissining prcess and 10m³ per da nce peratins cmmence. Food waste and putrescibles – the proponent intends to macerate all food waste and putrescibles through a 25mm screen ere dispsing it verard rm the acilit. Apprximatel 1L d waste and putresciles will e prduced per persn nard the acilit each da. Tis euates t the cllective prductin 100L d waste and putresciles per da during the well drilling and cmpletin phase, and up t 400L per da during the cmmissining phase (t span a six mnth perid). It is likel the discharge these materials will increase nutrient levels in the waters arund the acilit. We recmmend the prpnent assesses the ptential impacts that enhanced nutrient levels ma pse the marine envirnment, and (i necessar) hw these ma e mitigated.
SUMMARy: We recmmend the prpnent include the llwing inrmatin and measures in its upcming reerral:
Vessel operations:
projected frequency and timing of vessel movements between the Port of Broome and the proposed facility; vessel sizes; and, peratinal vessel speeds
Subsea infrastructure:
an utline its ratinale as t wh its susea inrastructure pses n cllisin and/r entanglement risk t cetaceans and marine turtles; and, develpment mitigatin measures t minimise harm psed its susea inrastructure t marine auna (i.e. cetaceans and marine turtles)
Lighting:
develpment a light management plan during the rntEnd Engineering and Design phase t mitigate potential harm risks to marine turtles and migratory seabirds with input from eld experts; documentation of its “no aring” principle into a written plan; develpment a mnitring prgram (with the assistance eld experts) regarding the eect aring and ther articial light surces n marine turtles nesting n brwse Island.
Marine environment: -
32
development of an anchoring procedure to minimise disturbance to the benthic habitat;
Prelude FLNG Project
an utline that cnrms which “standard Australian industr practices” are t e applied t minimise the potential harm posed by drilling operations;
a hdrgraphical mdel that depicts the w and dispersal characteristics discharged heated sdium hypochlorite treated water, and an assessment as to whether this poses a risk to the marine environment;
in regards t the discharge treated sewage and grewater, d waste and putresciles, a reprt that utlines the ptential implicatins and impacts that enhanced nutrient levels ma pse the marine envirnment.
We als recmmend the prpnent prvide a cp the llwing materials r ur review:
a ull cp the assessment which was prepared r the prpnent Envirnmental Resurces Management (2009) regarding articial lighting, marine turtles and Browse Island;
a ull cp the mdelling reprt regarding lighting and migratr irds
overall, prvided the prpnent adheres t the mitigatin measures stated in this dcument and ulls the avementined recmmendatins, the prpsed activit is unlikel t have a signicant impact n an matters natinal envirnmental signicance. Prepared by: rpical West Marine Cnservatin, with input rm rpical Nrth Cnservatin, Cetacean Cnservatin, the Migratr bird taskrce and the Australian Antarctic Divisin’s Australian Marine Mammal Centre. Cleared : Rwan Wlie r ania Rishniw Assistant Secretar rpical Marine Cnservatin branch Marine Divisin 04 Decemer 2009
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APPENDIX B
CrOSS-rEFErENCE ABLE LISING ISSuES rAISED IN HE SuBMISSIONS AND HE LOCAION OF SHELL’S rESPONSE Reerence Numer
Issue Raised
Sumissin Part
1
A ew minr pints that need crrecting r are nt clear • Table 6.30 page 169. Reservoir CO2 Should be 966,000 instead of 966 • Page 285 mV is millivolt. not megavolt.
Rudi overmars
2
Page 160 chlrine. It is well knwn that ree residual chlrine in waste water can result in the rmatin txic, carcingenic chlrinated rganic cmpunds. Tis is accepted ecause the enets chlrinatin ar exceed the small ptential prlems these chlrinated cmpunds can cause. Hwever I cannt understand hw rmium cntaining rganic cmpunds such as rmrm are rmed as a result chlrinatin. Is this via natural ccurring rmium cmpunds i n sea water?
Rudi overmars
Sectin 6.7.5
Sectin 2.2.1
3
Drat EIS igure 6.18 shws cmparisn GHG intensit r a grup 10 existing wrld scale LNG acilities enchmarked against the Prelude LNG acilit. Hwever, it is nt clear hw the gures 10 existing acilities have een estimated. Te detailed calculatin asis, including amunt sutracted as upstream peratin, shuld e elarated.
Ari Chakraarti
Sectin 6.8
Sectin 2.3.2
4
In EIS r recent LNG prjects in Australia, enchmarked cmparisn has een presented, and it shws specic names each prject. r Prelude prject, similar cmparisn shuld e presented als. Te examples are:
Ari Chakraarti
Sectin 6.8
Sectin 2.3.1
5
EIS r recent LNG prjects in Australia presents detailed asis GHG emissin, Ari hwever, Prelude EIS des nt shw the asis 1,260 ktpa in ale 4.6. Detailed Chakraarti estimate asis, such as Co 2 emissin rm steam ilers, steam cnsumptin varius turines, and s n, shuld e presented
Sectin 6.8
Sectin 2.3.3
6
It is cmmnl recgnized in LNG industr that thermal ecienc steam turine driven will e lwer than that gas turine driven.
Ari Chakraarti
Sectin 4.7
Sectin 2.3.4
7
rm the reerrals recent LNG prjects in Australia, the emissin rates (tGHG/ tLNG&LPG) are indicated as elw.
Ari Chakraarti
Sectin 6.8
Sectin 2.3.5
queensland Curtis LNG EIS Vlume 7 Chapter 2 igure 7.2.4 benchmarked Greenhuse Emissins Intensit
Plut LNG Prject Greenhuse Gas Aatement Prgram, Chapter 4 igure 6 Greenhuse Intensit Majr LNG Plants Wrldwide
Gladstne GLNG Prject Envirnmental Impact Statement, Sectin 6 igure 6.9.1 benchmarked GHG Ecienc
Nrth West Shel rain 4 (2000)
0.44
Darwin (2002)
0.46
Grgn (2004)
0.35
Plut (2007)
0.33
Gladstne (2009)
0.35
Curtis Island (2009)
0.26
Prelude (2009)
0.33
Relevant Sectins in Drat EIS
Respnse Sectin Sectin 2.1
ale 6.30 Page 285
Cmpared t Curtis Island design, Prelude shuld have a lt pssiilities t imprve emissin rate and thermal ecienc.
35
8
ale 6.32 des nt shw an excess gas rm end ash stage eing sent t are. It appears that the assumptin is that all the Nitrgen rich gas rm the end ash is used as uel gas. What is the Nitrgen level in the eed gas assumed? Please state Nitrgen in eed gas and what sensitivit this is allwed in making these emissin gures.
9
Sectin 4.7.7 and igure 4.7
Sectin 2.3.7
Sectin 6.8.3: Reduced il due t shrter prduct line is included in emissin Ari reductin calculatin. Tis is nl a temprar eect eventuall all the lighter gases Chakraarti and nitrgen will il the strage tank in curse time. What aut increased il due t cnstant slshing in the strage tanks, has this een taken int accunt?
Sectin 6.8.3
Sectin 2.3.8
10
EIS shuld highlight ptential large LNG spill due t LNG t LNGC r LNGC t LNGC cllisin and its impact.
Ari Chakraarti
Sectin 6.9.2
Sectin 2.4.2
11
Te selectin steam ilers r main pwer generatin ver a cmined ccle gas turine and waste heat recver sstem means that u have t cmpl with Wrld bank EHS reuirements 320 mg /m3 Nox cncentratin in the exhaust stream. A cmined ccle gas turine sstem wuld have a lwer limit 25 ppmv (euivalent t 47 mg/m3 at 25C). Terere, the selectin steam ilers r main pwer generatin as ppsed t cmined ccle gas turines is nt the est availale technlg r minimisatin Nox emissins.
Simn Dean
Sectin 4.7 and Sectin 6.8
Sectin 2.3.4
12
Te Plut LNG GHG Aatement Prgram (cp attached) cntains a graph (igure 6) that shws the nnes GHG per tnne LNG prduced. A rugh calculatin r Prelude indicates that the develpment will emit ~0.43 e Co 2 per e LNG (euivalent). Tis is hardl est in class s hw des this cmpare t an nshre LNG acilit?
Simn Dean
Sectin 4.4.2 and Sectin 6.8
Sectin 2.3.5
13
With regards t the discussin aut the Carn Pllutin Reductin Scheme (CPRS), DEWHA it was nted that ur reerral initiall raised the pssiilit using geseuestratin as a methd t reduce carn emissins. yur drat EIS dcument als nted n page 100 that geseuestratin ma e cnsidered at a later stage in the lie the prject ut prvided n urther cmmitment t this. Given the current uncertaint regarding the CPRS, the Department cnsiders that Shell needs t utline urther ptins t set r mitigate green huse emissins which will e implemented thrughut the peratin lie the acilit
Sectin 4.4.2 and Sectin 7.10
Sectin 2.3.6
14
Vessel Strike
Sectin 4.8.4
Sectin 2.4.1
When peratins cmmence, arund 23 vessels will undertake rund jurnes t the LNG acilit each mnth. We cnsider that this increase in vessel trac etween the prpsed acilit and the prts brme and Darwin culd increase the risk vessel strike n cetaceans ecause vessels transiting etween the Prt brme and the prpsed acilit etween the mnths Jul t Nvemer will intersect the humpack whale migratin pathwa. Te prpnent intends t mitigate this risk develping and implementing “Vessel cetacean interactin prcedures” (at 207). Tese prcedures wuld reuire drilling, cnstructin and suppl cntractrs engaged Shell t maintain a watch r cetaceans when transiting, t nt knwingl apprach within 500m cetaceans, t take actins t avid cetaceans lcated within a distance 500m rm the vessel when sae t d s. Te cntractrs wuld e reuired t cmplete a ‘Whale and Dlphin Sighting Reprt Sheet’ in the event that cetaceans were sighted. However – given the correlation between higher vessel speeds and the incidence of vessel strike – we recommend the proponent consider limiting vessel speeds for vessels transecting the humpack whale migratr pathwa etween Jul and Nvemer.
36
Prelude FLNG Project
Ari Chakraarti
DEWHA
14 SUMMARY contined We recmmend the prpnent include the llwing inrmatin and measures in its upcming reerral:
DEWHA
Sectin 4.8.4
Sectin 2.4.1
DEWHA
Sectin 6.6.6
Sectin 2.5.1
DEWHA
Sectin 6.4
Sectin 2.5.3
Vessel peratins:
15
prjected reuenc and timing vessel mvements etween the Prt brme and the proposed facility;
-
vessel sizes; and,
peratinal vessel speeds
Subsea infrastructure collision/entanglement Te prpsed acilit e xtracts hdrcarn thrugh a susea inrastructure arra which includes anchrs, exile risers, wlines, riser ase manilds, umilicals and wellheads. Tese devices will cver 7,701m² sear. Tese devices ma pse a cllisin and/r entanglement risk t cetaceans and marine turtles. Terere we recmmend that the prpnent: v)
utlines its ratinale as t wh its susea inrastructure pses n cllisin and/ r entanglement risk t cetaceans and,
vi)
devises mitigatin measures t minimise harm psed its susea inrastructure t marine auna (i.e. cetaceans and marine turtles) i cllisin/entanglement is identied as a risk
SUMMARY We recmmend the prpnent include the llwing inrmatin and measures in its upcming reerral:
16
an utline its ratinale as t wh its susea inrastructure pses n cllisin and/or entanglement risk to cetaceans and marine turtles; and,
develpment mitigatin measures t minimise harm psed its susea inrastructure t marine auna (i.e. cetaceans and marine turtles)
Light emissions Light emissins ma disrientate marine turtles and disrupt ilgicall imprtant behaviours – i.e. mi gration, nesting, breeding and foraging. Moreover, light emissions ma cncurrentl attract and cncentrate marine turtles and pred atrs t and arund the light source – exposing the former to injury or mortality. Te prpnent cmmissined an assessment the ptential eect n turtles nesting n brwse Island as a result light emanating rm the acilit at nrmal peratins. Te assessment und that the light rm the acilit was visile t turtles t a maximum distance 27 kms (at 132). Tis was under nrmal peratins. When aring, light wuld e visile t turtles ut t a distance 51 km rm the acilit – which puts it within the range of turtle nesting and foraging at Browse Island. e prpnent indicates that althugh the light ma e visile n the island’s nrthern eaches and lw n the seaward hrizn, it is unlikel that the light wuld e visile n the suthern eaches due t the island’s tpgraph. As a result, the prpnent claims that the landward horizon would remain unaltered – thus limiting the risk of nesting and hatchling disrientatin. We reuest a cp the ull assessment which was prepared r the prpnent Envirnmental Resurces Management (2009) in rder t veri the assessment ndings.
develpment a mnitring prgram (with the assistance eld experts) regarding the eect aring and ther articial light surces n marine turtles nesting n brwse Island.
We als recmmend the prpnent prvide a cp the llwing materials r ur review:
a ull cp the assessment which was prepared r the prpnent Envirnmental Resurces Management (2009) regarding articial lighting, marine turtles and Browse Island;
37
16 contined
Te prpnent states that the will limit the practice aring, hwever it des nt prvide prjected reuencies r timings. laring will e visile rm brwse Island, which is an imprtant green turtle nesting site. While we recgnise the imprtant saet unctin aring, we suppr t the prpnent’s intentin t minimise aring where cnsideratins peratinal saet allw (especiall during peak nesting perids).
DEWHA
Sectin 6.4
Sectin 2.5.3
DEWHA
Sectin 6.4
Sectin 2.5.3
It is unknwn whether light rm the prpsed acilit’s are stack wuld disrientate nesting turtles and hatchlings at a each 40km rm the are. We recmmend that the prpnent mnitrs (with the assistance experts) the eect aring (and ther articial lighting) n marine turtles n brwse Island, and i necessar intrduce additinal mitigatin measures t avid disrientatin nesting turtles r hatchlings. We recgnise the prpnent’s aim t design the acilit in a manner that mitigates the ptential eects lighting. It intends t:
utilise lw reective paints and assess lcatin luminaries t reduce area reective surfaces;
psitin luminaries in a psitin (i.e. inward twards the acilit) s as t reduce seaward reection of light;
implement a “n aring” principle that limits the use the are stack where possible;
where pssile, avid cntinuus illuminatin the prpsed acilit’s wrk and accommodation areas; and,
ensure vessels restrict use articial lighting t the minimum level reuired r navigatin and saet
SUMMARY We recmmend the prpnent include the llwing inrmatin and measures in its upcming reerral:
develpment a mnitring prgram (with the assistance eld experts) regarding the eect aring and ther articial light surces n marine turtles nesting n brwse Island.
We als recmmend the prpnent prvide a cp the llwing materials r ur review:
17
a ull cp the assessment which was prepared r the prpnent Envirnmental Resurces Management (2009) regarding articial lighting, marine turtles and Browse Island;
Light emissions contined
Turtles We hld cncerns r the prpnent’s intentin t utilise green r lue articial lighting (we nte this clur range is least attractive t migratr seairds). Adult and hatchling green turtles are mst receptive t the green and lue prtins the visile light spectrum and least receptive t the ellw/range t red prtins. Tus green r lue articial lighting has the ptential t disrupt adult and hatchling rientatin at night and inhiit nesting attempts emales (which wuld e cncern i such light reached brwse Island). urthermre, turtles transiting the area ma e attracted to the facility – making them more susceptible to vessel strike or entanglement in the inrastructure arra. We recgnise that the prpnent will develp a detailed plan lighting r the LNG acilit during the rntEnd Engineering and Design phase (at 128) and recmmend that the light management plan e develped with input rm experts in the eld. Tis will ensure that the mst apprpriate tpes lighting are selected t limit ptential negative impacts n turtles.
38
Prelude FLNG Project
17 contined
Birds
DEWHA
Sectin 6.4
Sectin 2.5.3
DEWHA
Sectin 6.3
Sectin 2.5.2
In particular:
the prpnent shuld prceed t develp and implement and eective lighting plan during the rntEnd Engineering and Design phase (at 128) that will ensure that the mst apprpriate tpes lighting are selected t limit the ptential negative impacts n seairds as well as marine turtles.
Additinall, we reuire the prpnent t:
prvide a cp its prpsed lighting plan and supprting scientic information to DEWHA; and
dcument its “n aring” principle int a plan (t e suseuentl prvided t DEWHA)
SUMMARY We recmmend the prpnent include the llwing inrmatin and measures in its upcming reerral:
develpment a light management plan during the rntEnd Engineering and Design phase t mitigate ptential harm risks t marine turtles and migratr seabirds with input from eld experts;
-
documentation of its “no aring” principle into a written plan;
We als recmmend the prpnent prvide a cp the llwing materials r ur review: 18
a ull cp the mdelling reprt regarding lighting and migratr irds
Anchoring to benthos Te prpsed acilit will e held in psitin ur grups six anchr chains, arranged at the ur uadrants arund the LNG turret. Te chains are secured suctin piles which will penetrate deep int the enths. Te pile will e 10m in diameter and 20-30m in length – each weighing between 140-180 tonnes. Given the prpnent intends t depl anchrage devices nt the enths and the signicant size and weight the anchrs, we reuest the develpment an anchring prcedure t minimise disturance t the enthic haitat. Te preparatin an anchring prcedure was included in the Marine Divisin’s advice r reerrals EPbC 2009/5160 and EPbC 2009/5122. Tese prpsals were relativel less cmplex than this prpsal. SUMMARY We recmmend the prpnent include the llwing inrmatin and measures in its upcming reerral:
Marine environment:
develpment an anchring prcedure t minimise disturance t the enthic habitat;
an utline that cnrms which “standard Australian industr practices” are t e applied to minimise the potential harm posed by drilling operations;
39
19
Discharge of waste Te prpsed acilit will prduce a range slid and liuid wastes that ma pse a harm risk t the marine envirnment. Drill cuttings – the drilling of eight wells into the benthos will produce 8,000m² of drill cuttings. Rck and sand particles will e separated rm drilling uid and discarded ver the side the drilling rig. Te discharge cuttings will lead t an increase in water sedimentatin (“turidit”) ver 12km² area. mitigate the mderate levels harm psed the discharge drill cuttings, the prpnent states it will llw “[s]tandard Australian industr drilling practices”. We recmmend that the prpnent utline which standard Australian industr practices it intends t llw, and elucidate hw these will mitigate the ptential harm risk. Discharge of cooling water – seawater drawn from the ocean will be utilised as a heat exchange medium r the cling machiner engines and in the petrleum prductin prcess. 50,000m³ seawater (i.e. the vlume euivalent 25 lmpic swimming pools) will be dispersed into the ocean each hour at a temperature between 39C°–42C° (approximately 7.5C°–16C° above seasonal ambient water temperatures). Tis euates t the vlume an lmpic swimming pl eing circulated apprximatel nce ever 2.5 minutes. Sodium hypochlorite – also commonly known as bleach – will be added to the cooling water t inhiit marine grwth within the pipewrk the water cling sstem. It is anticipated that the discharged cling water will cntain traces sdium hpchlrite at a level 0.2 ppm. Given the nature and massive vlume liuid in uestin, we are cncerned that the prpsed discharge will pse a threat t the marine envirnment. Tus we recmmend the prpnent undertake hdrgraphical mdelling t determine the w and dispersal characteristics discharged heated sdium hpchlrite treated water, and whether this pses a harm risk t the marine envirnment. Measures will als need t e taken t ensure that seawater intakes d nt pse a signicant risk t marine auna. Disposal of sewage, grey water, food waste and putrescibles – the proponent intends to dispse treated sewage, treated gre water, d waste and putresciles int the cean. Sewage and grey water – will be treated and discharged in accordance with MARPOL guidelines. Te acilit is estimated t prduce 30m³ sewage and gre water per da during the cmmissining prcess and 10m³ per da nce peratins cmmence. Food waste and putrescibles – the proponent intends to macerate all food waste and putresciles thrugh a 25mm screen ere dispsing it verard rm the acilit. Apprximatel 1L d waste and putresciles will e prduced per persn nard the acilit each da. Tis euates t the cllective prductin 100L d waste and putresciles per da during the well drilling and cmpletin phase, and up t 400L per da during the cmmissining phase (t span a six mnth perid). It is likel the discharge these materials will increase nutrient levels in the waters arund the acilit. We recmmend the prpnent assesses the ptential impacts that enhanced nutrient levels ma pse the marine envirnment, and (i necessar) hw these ma e mitigated. SUMMARY We recmmend the prpnent include the llwing inrmatin and measures in its upcming reerral:
40
a hdrgraphical mdel that depicts the w and dispersal characteristics discharged heated sdium hpchlrite treated water, and an assessment as t whether this poses a risk to the marine environment;
in regards t the discharge treated sewage and grewater, d waste and putresciles, a reprt that utlines the ptential implicatins and impacts that enhanced nutrient levels ma pse the marine envirnment.
Prelude FLNG Project
DEWHA
Sectin 6.7
Sectin 2.2.2
