Jubilee field development The story so far (PDF - Tullow Oil plc

Jubilee ESIA continued
Routine discharges (such as waste water from the FPSO) and drilling wastes will
be treated to accepted standards prior to discharge.Non-routine discharges (such as
chemically treated hydrotest water) will be collected in a closed system and treated to
meet Ghanaian and international standards. The selection of fluids will take into
account their potential environmental impacts.
Impacts from emissions to air are unlikely to have a direct impact on local
communities. Our operations will produce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions but we
are working to minimise these through the use of state-of-the-art equipment,
application of EHS policy, Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and Tullow Oil
Environmental Standards (toes). Flaring will be avoided wherever possible with the
stated intention to flare only in specified situations. Water discharges from the FPSO
and support vessels will all be treated prior to discharge to ensure that they meet
both Ghanaian and industry standards.
The scale and nature of waste produced will vary depending on operations that are
being carried out. Some waste, such as macerated food waste, can be treated and
disposed of at sea in accordance with MARPOL, the International Convention for
the Prevention of Maritime Pollution from ships. Other non-hazardous waste will
be brought ashore for treatment, recycling and disposal. Hazardous waste will
be transported ashore for disposal at appropriate facilities.
Results of the impact assessment carried out as part of the ESIA process show that
the risk of an oil spill is very slight. We have however put in place a comprehensive
Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP) to ensure that in the event of a spill we are ready to
take appropriate action. We have also helped to form the Ghana Offshore Emergency
Leadership Forum (GOELF), which consists of Ghanaian agencies that would be
involved in the event of an incident.
We are working closely with the Ghanaian Fisheries Agency and fishing community to
alleviate any concerns and issues around the presence of the FPSO. This includes
both direct and indirect assistance ranging from compensation procedures, to
assistance with locating alternative fishing grounds. Tullow Ghana is also working to
educate the fishermen about potential safety issues caused by fishing close to our
operations.
The Jubilee ESIA discussions also helped us to understand the most pressing needs
of the six coastal communities of the Western Region and to identify the most
appropriate Social Enterprise and social investment projects for the area. The drilling
of water wells in the region, and our support of a programme to eradicate river
blindness, were the first direct outcomes of the process. The information gathered by
the ESIA also allowed Tullow Ghana to develop a Social Enterprise strategy and
management framework.
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