phase 4 report - DNV

RN07: REGIONAL GUIDANCE DOCUMENT FOR OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS AND DISCHARGES FROM OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS ACTIVITIES IN THE BARENTS SEA INCLUDING ASSOCIATED SHIPPING // Environmental design and performance guidance6.5.3. Production phase, production drilling andoperational discharges from operationsSedimentsMonitoring surveys: Environmental monitoringshall be carried out at given intervals during theproduction phase of the field (see 6.5.2). Samplinglocations, contaminant and types of fauna andmethods for sampling and analyses shall be the sameas in the baseline survey (see 6.5.1 and 6.5.2).6.5.5. Quality Assurance and AccreditationThe environmental consultants and laboratoriesinvolved shall be accredited to national orinternational standards (Norway: NS-EN ISO/IEC17025:2005; Russia: GOST R ISO/IEC 17025), forall the services and analyses they provide. Suppliersshall also document their internal quality assuranceroutines.Water columnIt should be assessed if monitoring in the givenarea is needed. If needed, monitoring shall be doneaccording to national standards.In Russia, key and additional contaminants of seawater should be analyzed under GOST 17.1.3.08-82.In Norway, the concentration of certaincontaminants in the water column at given distancesfrom the drilled well is monitored every year(Norwegian standard TA-2849/2011).Condition monitoring of wild stocks of fishshould be undertaken in order to document whetherthe fish are affected by discharges from the oil andgas activities. This monitoring should be carried outevery third year. If important spawning grounds ornursery areas are present in the vicinity of the field,more frequent sampling may be required.Impact monitoring on fish and mussels are carriedout experimentally by placing fish and mussels incages at certain distance from the produced waterdischarge outlet. Biomarker analyses are being usedto assess the impact.Marine mammals, ice and biotaThe need for such monitoring should be assessed ona base by case basis. If needed monitoring should becarried out according to national standards.Subsea leakage monitoring and leakage to airemission monitoringNot subject to the scope of the current guidancedocument, however should be part of the overallenvironmental monitoring as applicable undernational /regional regulation.6.5.4. Post decommissioning (field end)After the production has ended and before theinstallations have been removed, monitoring at thefield shall be carried out. The sampling shall includethe same set of variables and at the same samplinglocations as in the baseline study.After the production has ended and theinstallations have been removed, the monitoring shallbe carried out at least twice (over a period of 6 years)250RUSSIAN–NORWEGIAN COOPERATION PROJECT