Risk & Environmental Management

Environmental and Social

Impact Assessment (ESIA)
Over the past 25 years the RPS Risk and
Environmental Management team has
developed an extensive track record in the
undertaking of Environmental and Social
Impact Assessments (ESIA) worldwide
across the whole project operational
lifecycle including:
Onshore:
n Exploration

operations, e.g. Aero

Mag, 2D & 3D Seismic and drilling
operations;

n Oil

and gas developments and facilities

expansion;

n Oil

and gas pipelines;

n Power

and telecoms cables.

Offshore:
n Geophysical

and geotechnical survey

operations;
n Drilling

(exploration, appraisal and

development wells);

n Oil

and gas developments;

n Wind

wave and tidal developments;

n Pipelines

and cables;

n Decommissioning

operations.

With regional offices in the Americas,

UK, Europe, the Middle East, Russia,
Australia and South-East Asia, we have
provided our ESIA services extensively
in many areas for a wide range of clients,
including Multinationals, National Oil
Companies and Independents, providing
a tailored service to suit each Companys
requirements.

ESIA Methodology
Our ESIA assessment methodology has
been developed as a product of our
many years experience and conforms to
international criteria such as the World
Banks Equator Principles and the IFCs
Performance Standard No. 1; in addition
to being approved by regulators in
many countries.
The methodology assesses the potential
environmental and social impacts
from a projects activities. The process
encompasses impact identification,
evaluation (assessment), mitigation and
residual risk categorization.

ESIA Elements
n Assess

requirements for baseline

data gathering;

n Assist

client with the stakeholder

consultation process;

n Undertake

regulatory review;

n Determine/Agree

suitable
mitigation measures;

n Prepare

and submit:

- ESIA Scoping Document and

Terms of Reference;

- Stakeholder Engagement Plan;

- ESIA Report;

- Environmental and Social

Management Plan;

- Environmental Aspects Register.

n Assist

with post ESIA support and

stakeholder presentations.

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EMS 70824

ESIA Data Gathering and Scoping

The Assessment Process

the initial phase of any ESia process is

Scoping. its objective is to ensure at an
early stage that the essential elements
of both the proposed project and the
surrounding environment have been
identified; and that the legal framework
for the particular project has been defined
fully. an integral element of the process
is consultation with government bodies,
nGos and other relevant stakeholders. in
some countries the scoping process is a
formal regulatory stage requiring a scoping
report to be submitted and approved by
government before the ESia process
can continue.

the project and environmental

descriptions allow identification of
interactions (impacts) between the
planned project and the environment.
Simply, this impact assessment is
undertaken by using a matrix of Severity
against likelihood to determine risk levels.

a description of the environment in

which the proposed project will operate
is also prepared. this process starts at a
high level during scoping, when any data
gaps are identified, and is then further
developed during the ESia process. all
relevant aspects of the physical, biological
and socio-economic environment are
included and the process is primarily a
desk-top one with specific data gathering
programmes being undertaken to fill any
data gaps.
at the same time a detailed description of
the project to be assessed is also prepared,
usually with the support of the projects
design and engineering teams, and includes
a description of proposed activities and
an estimation of likely emissions and
discharges across the projects lifecycle.

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Specialist studies to inform the assessment

of the various project operations are used
to support the ESia process.

through design changes, modification

to either project timing or specific
operating procedures as well as through
the implementation of companywide or
project specific management systems; and
are always determined in close liaison
between rpS and the client. agreed
measures are incorporated into the
Environmental and Social management
plan (ESmp) which can then be further
developed as part of the HSE plan when
operations commence.

Risk Mitigation & Management

Following identification and assessment of
hazards, appropriate control or mitigation
measures are proposed for those risks
that are considered to be significant.
mitigation for example can be achieved
Risk = Severity of Hazard x Likelihood of Occurrence
RPS REM
Risk Matrix

Stakeholder Consultations
& Public Engagement

Offshore Oil Spill Modelling

Project Affected Communities and

stakeholders are identified during the
ESIA scoping stage and a stakeholder
register and associated engagement plan
prepared. Culturally appropriate methods
of engagement are adopted which will be
different for each project. These may include
focus groups, household questionnaires
and/or formal presentations.

Generic ESIA Contents

RPS is able to provide oil spill simulations

using the OILMAP suite of modelling
tools. Spill scenarios can be modelled
under varying seasonal and environmental
conditions, providing essential information
on water and shoreline oiling probabilities
and spill travel times.

Final Modelling Results

Executive Summary
1. Introduction
2. Regulatory Framework (National
and International)
3. Description of the Planned
Project Operations

RPS | Tanzania (AFREN)

P13-001, 07 July 2014

Stakeholders views on the proposed

project are sought as appropriate and
information on specific key topics of
interest is gathered. If required we can
support clients with the development of
an efficient grievance mechanism to allow
communities a voice.

Applied Science Associates

a member of the RPS Group plc

The RPS acoustics team has extensive

knowledge and experience in assessing
the effects of underwater sound on
marine mammals, fish and turtles. The
approach is based on a balance of
technical robustness, practicality and an
understanding of industry specific issues.
Our experts are involved in many aspects
of modelling, research and development.
RPS uses a suite of peer reviewed noise
modelling methodologies which are
capable of predicting the received RMS
sound pressure level, M-weighted SEL,
peak pressure level and other metrics as
required by JNCC guidance and other UK
and international guidelines. In addition to
providing underwater noise assessments
and surveys, we are also able to provide
practical advice on detailed design and
mitigation, which can often help to reduce
programme cost.

- Summary of project emissions

and discharges

Response options can also be incorporated

into the modelling, allowing the user to
evaluate different response techniques
and optimize the placement of assets to
minimize potential impacts. This modelling
has been used by numerous international
operators around the world to develop
response plans for potential spills.

- Physical environment

- Biological environment

- Socio-economic environment

5. Hazards, Effects and Mitigation

Measures

Figure 14. Subsurface blowout of 150,000 bbl of crude oil from the Mkonge-1A well site. Water surface oiling
probabilities are represented by the top image and minimum time for surface oiling is represented by the bottom
image.

Noise Modelling

- Possible project options and

option selection

4. Description of the Local and

Regional Environment

3D simulations can be undertaken

to model potential pipeline leaks and
seabed blowout events to provide near
field plume analysis (prior to trajectory
modelling being carried out). When the
likelihood of oiling into specific areas
of concern is identified, representative
or worst case trajectories can then be
selected based on different criteria, e.g.
largest volume of oil ashore or shortest
time to shore.

Specialist Studies

17

- ESIA assessment methodology

- Impact identification

- Assessment of impact significance

- Proposed mitigation measures

- Assessment of cumulative impacts

- Assessment of residual risk

- Environmental and Social

Management Plan (ESMP)

6. Conclusions
7. References
8. Appendices (supporting reports
and documentation)

Final Modelling Results

RPS | Tanzania (AFREN)

P13-001, 07 July 2014

Offshore Drill Cuttings

Dispersion Modelling

survey elements can include boreholes,

cpts and vibrocores.

From an environmental survey

rpS conducts modelling to evaluate
perspective, ecological surveys can
dispersion of sediments from offshore
be scoped for onshore, intertidal and
drilling, dredging, jetting and other
offshore habitats using a broad range
submarine excavation in marine and
of sampling devices. offshore, rpS can
freshwater environments using in-house
also offer environmental survey services
software. dispersion is modelled using 3d
using drilling rig based remotely operated
hydrodynamic fields that can be developed
vehicles (rovs), thereby allowing for
in-house or generated from direct onFigure 19. Cumulative deposition thickness (cuttings and mud) at Mkonge-1A using May 2012 (top) and Feb 2012
data collection in close proximity to oil
site oceanographic measurements. the (bottom)
current conditions.
Field Surveys
and gas infrastructure.
fate of various sediment factions can be
27
tracked from the release point, through
rpS Energys survey division has a
the water column to their eventual seabed
global footprint. multidiscipline surveys,
deposition. typical output includes maps
including geophysical, geotechnical and
and cross-sections describing the evolution
environmental survey elements, both
of the sediment plume, maximum in-water
onshore and offshore, can be scoped,
concentrations of soluble and insoluble
managed and quality controlled. Surveys
release components, and maps of
are typically tailored to individual client
sediment deposition on the seabed. With
requirements.
certain simplifying assumptions, model
offshore, geophysical surveys typically
outputs can be post-processed to show
involve the simultaneous acquisition of
concentrations of hydrocarbons in the
multi-beam echo sounder data, side scan
water column or seabed.
sonar data, magnetometer data and subbottom profiler data, whilst geotechnical
Figure 18. Comparison of settling velocities for solid discharges used in the modeling study. Size class divisions are
from Gibbs et al. (1971).

Applied Science Associates

a member of the RPS Group plc

25

Applied Science Associates

a member of the RPS Group plc

Project Examples
NOCK Kenya:
onshore 2d Seismic
Survey

JX Nippon UK:
offshore Exploration
Well

Kosmos Energy
mauritania: offshore 3d
Seismic Survey

Elephant Oil Benin:

onshore 2d Seismic
Survey

Tullow Oil Suriname:

offshore Exploration
operations

the national oil

company of Kenya
(nocK) contracted rpS
to conduct an ESia for a
2d seismic survey.

JX nippon contracted
rpS to provide support
to exploration drilling on
the UKcS, including:

rpS developed an ESia

for an offshore seismic
survey over a deep
water block.

- preparation, review and

submission of all drilling
permits;

the project started

with a scoping study to
focus on the key issues
including consultations
by rpS personnel (native
French speakers) with
a large number of local
communities, nGos and
Stakeholder groups.

rpS is supporting
Elephant oil with
an onshore ESia for
seismic operations in
Benin. to date, this has
included on site visits
to establish the baseline
as required by national
regulatory requirements,
preparation of the
environmental and
social baseline report,
project notification and
preparation of the ESia
terms of reference
report.

rpS undertook a series

of ESias for offshore 3d
seismic and exploration
drilling in two blocks
offshore Suriname.

the ESia captured the

current environmental
conditions in the area,
including social/cultural
and environmentally
sensitive receptors.
rpS staff visited local
communities in the
project area to present
the project and record
any concerns, which
were then addressed in
the ESia report.

- Specialist oil spill and

cuttings dispersion
modelling;
- preparation of
the Environmental
Statement;
- HSE and management
System support
together with 24hr
emergency response
support.

the ESia report was

prepared in line with
international guidelines
and national regulatory
requirements.

although primarily
a desktop process
rpS rEm personnel,
including in-country
subcontractors,
undertook a range of
primary data gathering
studies including social
assessment surveys and
attending a number of
in-country events to
present the project to
both local stakeholders
and regulatory bodies.

For general information please contact E energyrEm@rpsgroup.com www.rpsgroup.com/hse-rm-brochure

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