concept EIA-rapport - Staatsolie

SRK Consulting: Project No: 439414 Staatsolie Pipeline EIA – Draft EIA Report Page 90
7 Conclusions and recommendations
Pipelines are generally considered relatively safe and efficient conduits for fuel and are used
worldwide under a wide range of conditions. The proposed Staatsolie pipeline is relatively smallscale
compared to the major oil and gas pipelines and will be laid underground along most of its
length. Consequently, the proposed Staatsolie pipeline is predicted to have few and limited impacts,
which can be effectively mitigated.
The EIA has examined the available project design information and drawn mainly on available
(secondary) baseline data to identify and evaluate environmental (biophysical and socio-economic)
impacts of the proposed Staatsolie pipelines. The EIA Report aims to inform decision-makers of the
key considerations by providing an objective and comprehensive analysis of the potential impacts
and benefits of the project and has created a platform for the formulation of mitigation measures to
manage these impacts.
This chapter presents the general conclusions that have been drawn from the EIA process and
which should be considered in evaluating the project. It should be viewed as a supplement to the
detailed assessment of individual impacts presented in Chapter 6.
7.1 Principal findings
There are a number of minor or less significant impacts associated with the pipeline. If
recommended mitigation measures are adopted, these impacts are not expected to be significant
nor long-term. They include groundwater, visual, air quality, noise and vibration, land and river use
and climate change impacts.
A summary evaluation of the potentially significant impacts that will result from the proposed project
is presented below. Table 7-1 summarises the potentially significant impacts and their significance
ratings before and after application of mitigation and/or optimisation measures. Relevant
observations with regard to these impacts are:
• Impacts on surface water quality in the Suriname River are most likely the result of construction
activities, notably the planned disposal of surplus drilling mud into the Suriname River and runoff
of sediments or contaminated water from construction sites. Impacts on water quality are
expected to be limited due to the tidal nature of the river (resulting in vigorous mixing and dilution
capacity), the expected small volume of pollutants and the absence of sensitive habitats in the
area;
• Impacts on terrestrial and aquatic habitat quality will be confined to the construction phase
when vegetation clearing for drill pads and assembly areas and filling of land to extend drill pads
into the river will occur. Impacts on habitat quality are expected to be limited as construction sites
are very smalland located in highly disturbed areas of no conservation value;
• The project will generate only limited employment. It is not expected that new employment will
be created by the pipeline construction. Rather, existing employment at the contracted firms will
be supported. Indirect employment generated through the (local) purchase of materials and
services and expenditure in the local community is expected to be small; and
• The movement of construction vehicles, laying out of pipeline strings in the river and the
transport of construction materials, equipment and workers to and from the work sites may affect
road and river traffic. However, the impact is considered limited as additional (local) road traffic
due to the pipeline construction is expected to be minimal, and river-based activities related to
the pipeline project are only locally restricted for short periods of time.
REUT/DALC 439414_StaatsoliePipelineEIA_Draft EIA Report_Final June 2012