Baseline studies and EIA investigations that have been conducted for Petroleum industry companies by Sudanese research institutions are key studies for the present report, both as they show the selection of methods that presently are employed for such studies in Sudan, and since they can be used to assess the current levels of knowledge within key competence institutions in Sudan.
A baseline and EIA study was in 2007 prepared for the Block 15 in the south of the Sudanese coast by the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) of the Red Sea University in collaboration with the Newtech Industrial & Engineering Group Ltd (IMR, 2007b). The study was performed prior to the onshore and offshore exploration activity that was to be conducted within block 15 by the RESPOC consortium. The baseline/EIA report includes information that shows the presence of several high priority VECs in the survey area. However, due to report confidentiality it is unclear to what degree NIVA can disclose this information. Within the surveyed area both seismic surveys as well as offshore exploratory drilling operations were planned for. Within the Tokar field the Tokar 1 offshore well (Figure 82) was drilled in February 2010 by the RESPOC consortium, apparently as the first offshore exploration well drilled in Sudanese waters. The Tokar-1 position was located some 130 kilometres southeast of Port Sudan well and this was one of two exploration wells drilled in Block 15. The Tokar site drilling took place at shallow water depths of 38-50 meters and the planned total drilling depth was 3,700 meters. No information about the environmental impact of the drilling operations at the Tokar field information is made available (yet) to the present study. It is unclear whether and to what degree this kind of site-specific effect information exists. It is important to stress that baseline/EIA studies that are conducted prior to offshore drilling operation such as the Tokar-1 drilling must be followed up with an appropriate impact-assessment / effect monitoring work at the drilling site after the drilling operations has ended. If such aftermath effect-studies indeed have been carried out, then these investigations should be made public without restrictions, regardless of what they show. Secrecy on these matters is not acceptable. However, if adequate effect studies at the Tokar-1 drilling site have not been performed, then an effect survey at this site must be performed as soon as possible. The Tokar-1 site represents an important example site for investigating and characterising the possible impact potential of offshore drilling operations in Sudanese marine waters. The same demand is valid for all other locations that have been drilled within Block 15, referring to the overview shown in Table 16.
In 2008, IMR and Newtech conducted an environmental baseline study prior to seismic operations for the offshore block 13, which is located north of Port Sudan and south of Hala’ib area (IMR, 2008b). The key aims of the baseline study were to provide adequate baseline information for the region and to identify and evaluate the current condition status of key habitats and ecosystem components in the study area (Figure 83). Secondly, the study aimed to assess the possible magnitude of impacts on coastal and marine environments which could come as a result of industry activities in the area. Similar as for the baseline/EIA study discussed above, there are no monitoring studies yet available that can indicate whether impacts have occurred as a result of any industrial operations in this region, e.g. as a result of seismic surveys or new drilling operations if such have been performed in the area. As based on the map info shown above (Figure 80, Figure 81), and the wellbore names shown in Table 16, there are several drilling sites (located even within the area which now is the Dungonab bay and Mukawwar Island marine protected area, but apparently these drilling locations (Dungunab-1, Abu Shagara-1, Maghersum-1) are old and onshore drilling sites which have been drilled several decades ago.
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A B
Figure 83: Location map (A) and station names (B) of the study stations used during the IMR organised environmental baseline survey for the offshore block 13. Source: (IMR, 2008b).
Marine oil export terminals are potential hotspots for environmental impacts to coastal habitats. Two major marine oil export terminals are currently in operation in the Port Sudan area, i.e. the Al khair (Alkhair, El Khair, Elkhair) marine oil terminal (Figure 77) and the Marsa Bashayer (1 and 2) marine oil terminal (Figure 75). Several of the activities that are associated with these marine oil terminals (major construction activities, operational effluents and discharges, waste production, tanker transport, etc.) may represent significant environmental impact risk factors unless proper mitigation & precautions measures are implemented. As shown previously (Table 15), several environmental baseline studies, EIAs and monitoring work have been conducted for these oil terminals by researchers from the Institute of Marine Research & The Faculty of Marine Sciences & Fisheries – Red Sea University or from the Institute of Environmental Studies (IES), the University of Khartoum in collaboration with consultancy companies (e.g. New Tech). The Al khair terminal is presently in a process of significant expansion (phase II) and a recent baseline study was in this connection prepared by IMR (IMR, 2014).
By comparing the content of different baseline and EIA studies that have been prepared by Sudanese institutions, a clear indication can be obtained about the knowledge development process on issues related to environmental management and monitoring. At the Bashayer Marine Terminal, which is operated by the Greater Nile Operation Petroleum Company, the baseline study was reported in 1999 (UKCC, 1999), although this report have yet not been found in open sources. Follow-up environmental impact assessments and monitoring studies At the Bashayer Marine Terminal were performed in 2001 and in 2005 (IES, 2005). All these studies were performed by teams led by Dr. Osman Mirghani Mohamed Ali at the Institute of Environmental Studies, Univ. of Khartoum (pers. comm. O.M.M Ali). An overview of the environmental parameters and monitoring data that are provided from the EIA study at Bashayer marine terminal conducted by Ali et al. (IES, 2005) is shown below (Table 17 and Table 18). O.M.M. Ali was also the leader in a team with the Italian consulting company APS engineering in connection with an EIA study for Port Sudan new refinery reported in 2004, although this report have yet not been found in open sources. IMR has also conducted other relevant studies at coastal locations such as the EIA study in Suakin Harbour (IMR, 2007a) and the
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baseline study in connection with the new port in the Mersa El- Sheikh Ibrahim bay which is located south of Suakin (IMR, 2012).
Table 17: Environmental parameters, pollution relevant parameters and measurement procedures in air and seawater that are used in connection with environmental monitoring studies reported in EIA reports for the Bashayer marine terminal close to Port Sudan, data source: IES (2005)
Parameter Method used for measurement Air temperature Centigrade thermometer Seawater temperature Portable HANNA meter model 8314 Transparency Vertical and horizontal assessed mid‐day by a Secchi disc Turbidity (within reef) Hach apparatus providing Formazin Turbidity Units (FTU) measured in water collected from within local reefs TDS ‐ Total dissolved solids Not informed Conductivity Not informed pH Portable HANNA meter model 8314. Salinity Refractometer fixed at 20 ºC Dissolved oxygen (DO) Winkler method as modified by Strickland, J. D. H. and Parsons, J. R. (1965). Manual of Seawater Analysis, UK. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Determined by subtracting the oxygen in water incubated in the dark for five days at around 22 ºC from the initial DO value Inorganic nutrients (nitrates, phosphates and silicates) Chemico‐spectrophotometric methods as described by Strickland and Parsons (1965), Manual of Seawater Analysis, UK Oil and grease in water Oil content was determined gravimetrically using petroleum benzene as a solvent for seawater. The solvent was separated from the water in a separator funnel. Using a water bath, the oil and grease was allowed to stay as the solvent evaporated. The residue was weighed and the oil and grease content was calculated as part per million. Hydrocarbons in sediments Analysed in accordance to the method described in APHA, AWWA, and WEF (1998). Standard Methods for examination of water and wastewater. Washington: American Public Health Association; http://www.standardmethods.org/
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Table 18: Environmental monitoring data in air and seawater that are reported from EIA studies at the Bashayer marine terminal close to Port Sudan, data source: IES (2005)
Parameter 1999 2001 2004 Unit Air temperature 36 ‐ 26.5 ºC Temperature (surface) 30.5 29.9 27.6 ºC Transparency (Vertical) 4.00 4.25 ‐ 8.25 >1.50 m Transparency (horizon) ‐ ‐ 3.0 m Turbidity ‐ 1 4 FTU TDS ‐ 37325 38580 ppm Conductivity ‐ 56.4 58.04 mS/cm Salinity 39.0 40.83 40.00 ‰ pH 8.21 8.07 8.29 Dissolved Oxygen 2.52 5.89 4.75 mg/l BOD5 ‐ 2.09 2.09 mg/l NO3 –N 4.18 2.65 2.65 mg/l PO4–P 0.3 0.3 0.3 mg/l SiO3 4.0 4.25 4.30 mg/l Fe ‐ 0.056 0.08 mg/l Chloride ‐ 22.6 27.12 g/l Oil and grease (Water) ‐ * 0.1798 % Oil and grease sediment ‐ * * % Hydrocarbons (HC) in sediments ‐ * 0.0014 %
- Not measured, * Below detection limit