Background
IPIECA’s Biodiversity Taskforce contracted Plexus to prepare a guidance document for senior project management in energy companies on managing their activities in coastal environments. The objective was to highlight key issues for decision-makers and their advisors, project managers and HSE professionals in planning, designing, impact-assessing and managing oil and gas activities in coastal environments.
Deliverables
The guidance document introduces considerations and recommendations for oil and gas development in coastal environments.
Recognising that any form of oil and gas development in coastal areas poses complex challenges from the very early stages, the document provides an overview of key actions for meeting these challenges by addressing the incumbent risks and opportunities. It adopts a broad perspective for gathering and assimilating administrative, environmental, economic and socio-cultural information to effectively identify and address key factors that could influence the planning, design and execution of an oil and gas development.
Outcomes
The document sets out the principal concepts for minimising impacts to biodiversity and ecosystems, and indicates resources for further reading. It demonstrates our expertise in biodiversity and coastal zone management as well as the ability to prepare guidance for industry-wide application. The guidance document has been well received and is amongst IPIECA’s most downloaded resources. It effectively communicates the complexities of coastal ecosystems and the necessary management measures energy companies need to take at different stages of project planning, from the early concept and design stage through to development and operation and ultimate decommissioning.
The document can be downloaded from IPIECA’s website at http://www.ipieca.org/publication/managing-oil-and-gas-activities-coastal-areas
