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ExxonMobil impact study for Hammerhead project silent on likely explosion from new pipeline
Kaieteur News- The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) for its seventh deepwater project- Hammerhead- is silent on how a pipeline explosion that may stem from a gas leak could affect the environment.
As part of the Hammerhead development, ExxonMobil plans to construct a 13-kilometer gas export pipeline from the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO) to a tie-in on the existing Gas to Energy (GTE) Pipeline.
Map showing the location of the Hammerhead project, offshore Guyana
This was revealed in the 4232-page EIA that was released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
While the gas pipeline will play an integral role in developing the resources associated with the project, the consultant, Environmental Resources Management (ERM) failed to assess such an impact.
A review of the document by Kaieteur News found that the word ‘pipeline’ is mentioned at least 182 times in the study; be that as it may, the document fails to properly assess impacts associated with that element of the planned project.
Of the 182 times the Consultant used the word ‘pipeline’ this newspaper only noted associated impacts explained twice. According to a table of the ‘modeled discharges and considered constituents for production, operations, and SURF hydrotesting’ ERM noted that commissioning fluids such as methanol and mono-ethylene glycol can be released from the gas export pipeline. That table also explains this may cause toxicity impacts on marine species.
Another table discussing the summary of the Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) states that marine mammals may be impacted by discharges and underwater sound disturbance during offshore pipeline construction.
In its EIA previously conducted for the GTE pipeline, ERM detailed the possibility of an explosion occurring along the pipeline. It also outlined measures that will be put in place to mitigate and respond to any such event, given the likelihood of gas leaking from the structure.
In the absence of this crucial information in the Hammerhead EIA, citizens are then clueless as to how an explosion of the new pipeline can affect the FPSO and crew members as well as other receptors such as marine species among others. It also presents an incomplete assessment of impacts for the EPA to review in considering the application for the development.
Explosion at GTE pipeline
In the EIA for the GTE pipeline, the consultant explained that a loss of integrity of the offshore pipeline, resulting in a natural gas release can be caused due to corrosion, objects striking the pipeline, and a buildup of stress in the pipe wall, causing buckling.
The study goes on to say that if an unplanned release of gas from damaged subsea pipelines occurs, the released gas will generate a gas plume that rises from the seafloor to the sea surface. Therefore, “Fire or explosion accidents can occur when the released gas disperses into the atmosphere and encounters ignition sources, which could have an adverse impact on human life and environment in the immediate vicinity of the fire.”
ERM added that the consequences of a release would likely be less severe offshore as it “is extremely unlikely that there will be an ignition source to cause a fire, and the gas will passively disperse without affecting any resources” rather than an onshore occurrence.
However, a release close to the Floating, Production, Sharing and Offloading (FPSO) vessel could result in a fire onboard the FPSO.
Exxon said that to reduce the likelihood of a gas release, the offshore pipeline design and installation will vary depending on the pipeline depth.
(ExxonMobil impact study for Hammerhead project silent on likely explosion from new pipeline)
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