Marine Environment Survey Development and Execution for Offshore Oil Gas Company Operations, Southern Arabian Gulf

摘要

Zakum Development Company (ZADCO) is one of the UAE’srnmajor oil and gas producing companies operating a concessionrnarea in the Southern Arabian Gulf offshore of Abu Dhabi. Thernoperations include production from three offshore fields andrnsupport, processing and export facilities from two islands.rnAs part of ZADCO’s ongoing environmental protectionrnprograms a marine environmental monitoring program wasrncommissioned. The aim was to assess operational impacts onrnthe marine community and identify negative impact sources sornthat mitigation measures could be implemented.rnThe shallow depths, extreme air temperatures, highrnevaporation rates and restricted water exchange of the Gulfrnwith the Arabian Sea determine seawater characteristics in thernarea. The resulting offshore physical environment is sensitive,rnwith a range of temperature and salinity extremes exceedingrnmost other marine areas in the world.rnGauging the condition of the marine environment requiredrndetailed analyses of a full range of physical, chemical andrnbiological parameters. The challenge is to compare the resultsrnfrom the undisturbed situation with potential changes due tornindustrial impacts, and more specifically to correlate thernchemical data with the biological status of the ecosystem. Thisrnrequired a complex sampling program involving water andrnsediment chemistry, soft and hard bottom biology, foulingrncommunities, and fish surveys.rnThe present study is a prime example of a multi-levelrnpartnership between the oil industry, consultant firms andrnuniversities to provide the best expert human resources forrnproject support and to establish a solid foundation for thernfuture large-scale and long-term monitoring of thisrnmarine ecosystem.rnThis paper gives an overview of the legislativernrequirements relating to environmental protection placed onrnZADCO by UAE Federal Agencies and CompanyrnShareholders. It explains the reasons why a comprehensivernmarine environmental survey was necessary and briefly detailsrnthe planning and execution of the study, the types of chemicalrn& biological investigations made, data analysis, and thernresulting conclusions and recommendations.