Using Norwegian competence from oil and gas subsea operations towards the development of ocean mining operations Yoshinori Miura, Jens Laugesen, Øyvind Fjukmoen, Lucy Brooks, Karsten Hagenah, Tor Jensen and Alireza Bayat DNV GL 1 DNV GL 2014 03 November 2015 SAFER, SMARTER, GREENER
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Introduction The methods and technologies to be used for deep sea mining activities are a key issue. Due to the large water depths, there are special challenges with respect to the equipment that is suitable. Norway and DNV GL has built up substantial experience from oil & gas projects in deep waters in the Norwegian Sea. Experiences from the oil & gas sector can to a large extent be applied to seabed mining. 5
Norwegian experience from the oil industry Ungraded 6 Deep sea mining value chain DNV GL 2016 Minerals on seabed, exploration & appraisal 31 January 2017 Mining tool & ore transport to MSV Mining support vessel (MSV) Tailings return to seabed Transport to onshore facilities
Use of riser technology experiences from the oil & gas sector One of the main challenges with deep sea mining is how to get the minerals from the seabed to the production support vessel on the water surface. Many of the deep sea mining resources (minerals) are situated at 2 000 to 6 000 m water depth. The riser and lifting systems that are planned to be used for deep sea mining are based on riser technology from the oil & gas sector. Ungraded Source: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/ wnxq5x/deep-sea-gold-rush 7 DNV GL 2016 31 January 2017
Use of riser technology experiences from the oil & gas sector In the North Sea there is already today riser technology for large water depths. The picture shows a top tensioned oil production riser, with the following technical data: 10 pipe - 345 bar Designed for North Sea Extreme Conditions, 1 500 m water depth DNV GL has developed a standard for dynamic risers (DNVGL-ST-F201) 8 DNV GL 2014 09 May 2018
Examples of monitoring technologies for oil & gas that can be used for deep sea mining Both deep sea mining and oil & gas activities face similar challenges when it comes to their potential to disturb sensitive seabed habitats. Sedimentation, smothering, physical damage, altered physical conditions, noise and vibrations are some effects that might impact the seabed communities. Extensive experience in monitoring seabed communities, and potential environmental impacts on these from oil and gas related activities; can be adopted for monitoring deep sea mining processes. 9
Impacts and effects to sensitive fauna from offshore activities 10
Monitoring technologies for oil & gas that can be used for deep sea mining For obtaining baseline data and for impact monitoring or long time effects monitoring, several non-destructive techniques can be utilised. In addition, a range of low intrusive conventional and standardised methods for monitoring seabed communities can be applied. 11
Environmental monitoring methods for offshore activities 12
Non-destructive monitoring technologies Examples of applicable non-destructive technologies are: Visual mapping and monitoring Sensors Sediment traps and passive samplers High definition bathymetry Hyperspectral imaging Photo: Typical deep water Lophelia reef in Norwegian waters 13
Visual mapping and monitoring For visual mapping and monitoring typically Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) are used which can take both video and still photography. Visual monitoring with ROV and AUV video and still photography has developed rapidly and can today be carried out with very high resolution. 14
Sensors Typically sensors that can be used are sensors for turbidity, current measurements, particle size distribution, temperature, salinity, ph etc. Sensors are often placed on a subsea lander system which for example has interval timed rotating sediment traps, profiling current meter and turbidity meters. Photo: A subsea lander system as described in the text above. In the background corals that are being monitored can be seen. 15
Sediment traps and passive samplers With sediment traps quantity and chemical composition of the sedimented matter can be determined. This can be used to assess the environmental impact from particle plumes. Passive samplers can be used to assess even very low contamination levels in the water column. Photo: Close-up of sediment trap material. Photo: Passive sampler (Ian Allan, NIVA) 16
High definition bathymetry High definition bathymetry is a useful tool to uncover special features on the seafloor like for example corals and pockmarks. Illustration: Shadow relief high definition display of the seabed (a section of Tromsøflaket) with 5 metre resolution. Pockmarks (gas emission sites) and potential corals are clearly visible. Stripes aligned along the survey lines can also be seen. From www.mareano.no 17
Hyperspectral imaging Hyperspectral Imaging is a remote sensing method in which spectral information is used to identify Objects Of Interest. Hyperspectral means: The spectral resolution of captured data goes far beyond RGB (red-green-blue) and the human eye. As a result, very precise object detection and classification can be automatically performed. In Norway a system has been developed and patented for Underwater Hyperspectral Imaging (UHI), in which statistical methods are employed to correct for the inherent optical properties of the seawater column. Photo: http://ecotone.com/technology/ 18
Low intrusive technologies Sediment sampling is generally a low cost and low intrusive method for obtaining reliable and replicable environmental data. Examples of applicable conventional and standardised methods for monitoring seabed communities by sediment sampling are: Macrofauna community analyses changes in seabed fauna Chemical analyses before and after impact, and follow up over time Grain size and sediment composition - impacts from sedimentation on the seabed Analysis of tracers distribution patterns of discharges Photo: A video assisted multi sampler (VAMS- IMR/ARGUS). This system can take multiple sediment samples at great water depths and has an ROV on a tether documenting sea life around the platform. Photo: A 5 μm tracer particle at 20x magnification in a sediment sample. 19
DNV GL has released a Recommended Practice for Seabed Mining The overall objective of this Recommended Practice (RP) for Seabed Mining is to establish risk-based guidelines and recommendations for the processes required to protect the environment during Seabed Mining activities in the exploration and the exploitation phase as well as during decommissioning. It is further the ambition that this document shall increase the overall awareness of environmental risks from Seabed Mining activities and demonstrate how to best manage these risks. 20 DNV GL 2014
Risk-based assessment of environmental impacts from Deep Sea Mining The Recommended Practice from DNV GL describes how a risk-based assessment of a Deep Sea Mining project can be done based on existing guidelines. The method is based on identification of possible hazards and by assessing the probability and consequence of each hazard, and if necessary to suggest mitigating measures. The method is also used for risk-based assessments in the Oil & Gas sector. Explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Mexican Gulf causing the worst oil spill in US history (www.theguardian.com) 21 DNV GL 2014
Conclusion Experiences from oil and gas operations have shown that new technological advances can successfully be combined with existing technologies from the oil & gas sector. There is a substantial need for obtaining more reliable, cost efficient deep sea data that can be utilized in risk assessments, for planning mitigating measures and for environmental monitoring. Promising technologies such as online sensors, ROV and AUV technology are rapidly advancing and will become important tools in the future for monitoring deep sea mining operations. This will help ensure greener operations in the deep sea. 22
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