Beaufort Sea Coastal Marine Program CCGS Nahidik Program Donald Cobb Fisheries and Oceans Canada Dr. Steve Blasco Natural Resources Canada Presentation to Arctic Energy Summit October 15-18, 2007 Anchorage
Beaufort Sea Coastal Marine Program CCGS Nahidik Program Background to Northern Energy Development (roots of program) Program objectives Nahidik overview Links to other programs
Northern Energy Development Mackenzie Gas Pipeline: Northern Canada s largest single development Environmental Impact Assessment of Pipeline (DFO capacity and research) Induced Activities: nearshore and offshore Beaufort Sea Complex governance and landclaims Challenge for Govt of Canada to prepare
Federal Responsibilities for Northern Energy Development INAC DFO EC NRCan NEB TC CEAA Northern boards
Federal Government Strategy NEDS (Budget 2002) MGP-MCII (Budget 2004) MGP-MCIII (Budget 2005) 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 NEDS Focus on federal government preparedness for Northern Oil and Gas development, pipeline and exploration MGP-MCII Focussed science on research activities entirely in the area of MGP EA regulatory review only MGP-MCIII Added science activities associated with induced exploration
Research Priorities to Meet MGP 1. Gaps analysis workshops Gartner Lee 2003, YK (Mackenzie Valley) Inuvik (Beaufort) 2. Community Consultations E.g: 6 ISR Communities for Nahidik 3. Co-Management bodies (FJMC) beluga, seals 4. Regulators needs (DFO-HM, NEB) 5. Industry demands (safety, mitigation) 6. Environmental Impact Assessment gaps.
Northern Energy Development Beaufort Coastal Marine Program Program Objectives: 1. To ensure that we better understand the Beaufort Sea ecosystem for decisions related to oil and gas development in the nearshore and offshore. Parts of ecosystem (biological / physical / chemical) Interactions of ecosystem components with each other and the environment (processes) Areas of ecological significance
Northern Energy Development Beaufort Coastal Marine Program Program Objectives: 2. To provide advice on geohazards and allow appropriate mitigation and planning to protect both industry and the environment. artificial islands ice scour shallow gas vents sub-surface stability Shallow Gas Drilling Hazard Paktoa Site
Northern Energy Development Beaufort Coastal Marine Program Program Objectives: 3. Set the stage for enhanced marine research: 1. Canada s Oceans Act - identify ecological and biologically significant areas. - identify areas of interest for marine protected areas. 2. Establish long-term monitoring stations for broader Arctic Science under N-CAARE. 3. Links with other vessels in expanded program (national and international).
Northern Energy Development Beaufort Coastal Marine Program Introduction to integrated research program on CCGS Nahidik Marine habitat classification Fisheries, plankton and benthic studies Oceanography Multibeam work with NRCan Geohazards (ice scour, gas vents, artificial islands, etc.) Bathymetric work with CHS
Physical Oceanography CTD frame Bill Williams
Physical Oceanography Understand physical and chemical dynamics of the Beaufort Sea Mackenzie Plume delineation extent, variability Help build more robust ecosystem models
2005 Nahidik leg 1 Cruise Track
2006 Nahidik leg 1 Cruise Track
CCGS NAHIDIK Fishing Program A.R. Majewski, J.D. Reist, B.J. Park
Objectives: Contribute to basic biological/ecological information of offshore fish populations Information in support of acoustic fish work (Gyselman/Jorgenson) Information on the use substrate features as habitat Provide samples for follow on analysis
Methods Overview: Multi mesh Gill Nets: 60 and 120 m 3.75cm (1in.) to 13.75cm (5.5in.) 9 locations Surface and bottom sets Total depth: 8 70m 3 18 hours Mid water Trawl: 3m x 3m gape, 12m length 7.5cm (3in.) to 0.6cm (0.25in.) 15 locations Set depth: surface to 50m 30 minutes
New to 2006 beam trawl (SDC in background)
2006 Beam Trawl Catches
Zooplankton and marine larval fish in the Canadian Beaufort Sea Shelf M. Papst, J. Sareault, S. Wong, Collaborations with the Polish Academy of Sciences
Objectives To examine the ecology of the zooplankton and marine larval fish that are using the Beaufort Sea shelf during the ice-free summer months. To examine the annual variation of condition and distribution of larval fish such as Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida). To determine if different species of larval marine fish can be used as ecosystem indicators. To identify areas of high ecological importance to larval marine fish.
Methods & Analysis Bongo Net Tows
Percent Abundance (/100) 1 0 0.9 1985 0.8 1986 1987 0.7 2003 0.6 2004 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 Clupeidae Osmeridae Coregonus sp. B. saida Arctogadus sp. Gadidae Stichaeidae Ulcina olriki G. tricuspis Icelus sp. M. quadricornis T. pingeli T. nybelinii L. decagonus Unidentified Liparis sp. L. fabricii L. tunicatus Figure 1. Percent Abundance of Marine Larval Fish within the 50m depth contour of the Canadian Beaufort Sea in the years 1985-1987, 2003-2004
Benthic community research from the Nahidik cruises
Purpose of studies Taxonomy of Beaufort Sea benthos poorly understood Benthic Invertebrates important ecosystem component Food for fish, and marine mammals Indicator of healthy ecosystem Useful for monitoring programs Useful in habitat assessments (special features)
Community visualization Static Dynamic!
75 m Geological Survey of Canada and Canadian Museum of Nature
Geological Survey of Canada and The Canadian Museum of Nature
Acoustics Survey-Water and Seabed
Acoustics and seabed classification 2006 cruise plot Water column echogram
3-D Image of Habitats Acoustic Intensity plot (Paktoa)
Carbon and lower trophic studies -Objective: -Develop a food web model of the Beaufort Sea Patricia Ramlal - community structure - stable isotopes Measurements: -gases, nutrients, Chlor A bacteria, phytoplankton
Sub-sampling for meiofauna
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities (1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Draft 50 m Pressure ridge ice keel
Repetitive Mapping Network
Repetitive Mapping
Distribution of New Scours => 0.5 m
Geoenvironmental Issues at Paktoa Devon Well Site Devon Paktoa Drill Site, 2006 Bottom Founded Structure - 13m Water Depth? (1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) benthic ecosystem First Arctic Offshore Exploration Well in 16 years Drilled Without Geoenvironmental Problems
Seabed Saturated with Ice Scours
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities (1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Devon Paktoa Well Site 2006 13 m Water Depth?
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities (1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Subsea Ice-Bearing Permafrost
Single Channel Data N S Multi- Channel Data
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities (1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Mackenzie Trough Edge of Trough Paktoa Drill Site
200 m Mud Volcano Kringalik Plateau Mackenzie Trough UNFROZEN 100 m FROZEN
Seabed Geoenvironmental Research Activities (1) ice scour (2) foundation conditions (3) subsea permafrost (4) shallow gas (5) artificial islands
Artificial Islands 1972-1986
Issungnak 1980
2001
2005
2001 over 2005 profile
Long-term Research Northern Oil and Gas MC IV,V? Long-term research and monitoring to test EIS predictions, effectiveness of mitigation, respond to accidents, and future geographic expansion of MGP development Post construction impacts Cumulative Impacts Broader off-shore development Beaufort, but also High Arctic Expansion of pipeline infrastructure along corridor (new areas) Respond to un-anticipated events and new community concerns