An Environmental Research Program For Drilling In the Canadian Beaufort Sea
Authors: Hnatiuk John 
Published: March 2010

A multimillion-dollar environmental research program consisting of 33 wildlife, biological, oceanographic, meteorological, ea ice and oil clean-up studies related to the southern Beaufort Sea is described. The studies aredesigned to provide ecological baselines, a better understanding of the physical environment, knowledge related to the consequences, of a possible oil spill and means of oil clean-up in ice-infested waters. Seasonal offshore drilling in the Canadian Beaufort Sea from a floating vessel has been approved in principle and is scheduled to be undertaken during the open-water period of 1976. The results of the studies discussed will be used to set operating constraints to safeguard the environment and minimize any adverse impact.

A unique feature of the program is its joint government-industry nature. The studies were specified by the Canadian federal government, but the majority of the funding is by the oil industry. Government agencies coordinate the program, with considerable management and scientific input from oil industry personnel. The two-year program will be completed by the end of 1975. The hostile environment is briefly described and problems arising during one of the worst ice seasons on record are discussed. The scope of the studies, research methods and progress to date in individual studies are outlined and, where possible, results are provided. An important phase of the program is public interface to inform northern natives, government, those with environmental concerns and others about the program and the study results.

Introduction

THE SEARCH for hydrocarbons in Canada's North has been extended to the geologically attractive but environmentallyostile southern Beaufort Sea. During the period, 1963 to 1969, offshore permits to explore for oil and gas were issued for the majority of the continental shelf, which extends some 75 to 100 miles from shore, to water depths of approximately 600 feet, as shown on the location map (Fig. 1). In mld-1972, one group of ten companies and, later, two other companiesapplied to the federal government for the approval of floating vessels as exploratory drillingystems for the Beaufort Sea. By this time, construction of the first of many artificial islands in shallow water had commenced, but these were in general regarded as being similar to drilling operations on land. The first approval-in-principle of a floating drilling system was granted in mid-1973, followed by other approvals. These approvals were subject to completion of a number of environmental studies which would serve as the basis for the conditions and constraints to be included in a Drilling Authority. This environmental program was stipulated in late 1973, and consisted of twenty-nine studies, estimated to cost $5.3 million, apart from government support. Following several months of discussions and some misunderstanding, the basis for funding these studies was resolved in February, 1974.

The Beaufort Sea Environment

The southern Beaufort Sea is usually ice covered nne months of the year, and it is during the remaining three or four months of open water or thin ice that exploratory drilling from a floating vessel is proposed.