The Impact of Submarine Pipelines to Coastal Zones in

Sabah and SarawakPresented By:

Mohd. Afiq Mohammad Uzir 16666Siti Sarah Suhaimi 17319

Introduction

Conclusion

Introducti

on

•From the discovery of petroleum as a natural energy resource, improvements in techniques of exploration, especially the offshore drilling and transportation were developed around the world to obtain the ‘Black gold’.•By 1960 the land-based petroleum production of most Borneo fields was growing slowly, whether from reduction of resources or for political reasons; on the Peninsula there was no petroleum production

The first major offshore discoveries

were made from Brunei and Sarawak,

and in the second half of the 1960s the

first offshore wells came on stream

•By the late 1970s, the existence of more oil pools and big gas resources had been established on the large sections of the eastern and northern coasts of Borneo•With exploration continuing into ever-deeper waters, especially of oil and gas, the submarine pipeline system are utilized as the ideal way of transportation of the resource from offshore platforms in order to fulfill the rising rate of energy demand in the region

Environmental Impacts during Installation and Managements

Contents

• Environmental Baseline Study involves sampling of water quality parameters, biological communities and bottom sediments.

• The suspension of the sediment would smother the marine communities.

• Impact on the fishing activity around the study area arises causing the fisherman to avoid fishing in the surrounding sea.

Pre-Constructio

n Phase

•Local disturbance to the seabed during the piling work, affecting the current flow resulting in resuspension of sediment particles.•This causes changes to the benthic communities and also the alteration in water quality parameters•The impact of fishing are obvious, fishermen would avoid fishing in the surrounding sea due to fear of potential mishap or hazard arising from the piling activities.

Installation Phase

Management

measures

•Installation should be reduced to the shortest possible time to minimize impact on the oceanography and water quality•In reducing the conflicts on the use of open waters, authorities such as Fishery Department and LKIM should be informed.

Offshore Submarine Pipeline Placement• pipelines will rest upon the

seafloor thus causing temporary and localized disturbance to bottom sediments

Impacts on the environment arise due to:

• Spillage of waste coating materials (bituminous compounds, concrete, etc.) and oil and grease from machinery on the laybarge into the water column

• Personnel on board the laybarge may produce sewage discharge that would pollute the seawater with excess nutrients.

• Contaminated ballast water discharged from the laybarge also pollutes the water in the area

Resuspension of bottom sediments occur when the

heavy pipeline is released too quickly onto the sea bed (high

touchdown velocity)•causing a rapid rise in turbidity and damaging the surrounding habitat.•Existing soluble pollutants in the sediment may travel with the bottom currents and affecting ecosystem in adjacent areas, including sensitive sites.

Management

Measures

•The pipe laying process using barge causes the least disturbance to the sea beds, it is the most suitable method for of offshore pipeline installation•The pipeline joints should be strong to withstand minor pressure pores by sudden gas escapes causing damage to the surrounding ecosystem.

Shore Approach Pipe-laying

•During this operation the trenching process disturbs the seabed sediments causing it to be dispersed over the adjacent seafloor, affecting the surrounding biota•Depends on :•The location and hydrodynamics of the site such as the water depth, sea conditions, •The surface and under currents,•The nature of the material being dredge and the type of dredge used.

•Increments of 6.5 NTU to 102-441 NTU in turbidity was observed in an area within 100 m radius of the dredger•Other impacts on the water quality are the release of heavy metals, organic compound and nutrients from the sediment to the water column.•The pulling of the pipeline will cause resuspension of sediment and releasing sedimented contaminants such as heavy metals and organic components

Impact to Marine Biological System

Installation of pipelines at offshore and nearshore areas:

resulting in the loss of some benthic and bottom feeding organism due to trenching and increased

turbidity associated with the pipeline laying

Anchoring activities on the seabed disturbed immobilize benthic organisms. It will take a long period of time for

the benthic population to return to its original state after the activities are completed.

The pipelines will rest upon the seafloor thus causing distribution and resulting to changes of localized benthic community structure.

• The benthic organisms are forced to re-colonize or re-establish themselves elsewhere and new communities will be established.

• Mobile pelagic organism are affected during the pipe laying activities where their feeding grounds might be destroyed causing them to flee to other areas to feed.

Figure 1: Oil and gas fields, refineries, and LNG plants in Borneo (Sources: Government of Malaysia 1991a; Valencia, 1991)

☻ The installation process of the offshore pipeline system had effect the local communities fishing activities

☻ Physical interactions with fishing activities had caused damage to fishing gears such as the nets got entangled with the pipelines

☻ Interference of the fishermen’s right to fish in the waters and disturbance of fish stocks. There are 500 m radius of safety zone imposed around every pipeline installation area may be perceived as loss of fishing ground.

Impact to the Fisheries Activity

Management

Measures

•Local fishermen should be duly warned of the planned activities in a timely manner.•If there is a real complaint of loss of fishing ground by the local fishermen, the contractor should lease with the Marine Fisheries Department on the requirements and procedures for compensation.

Impact to the Socio-economics of the

Local Communities•Majorities of the workers that are working on the laybarge and work boat are recruited from the local community•The impact is positive for the duration of the installation work and benefits those local who are employed for the work

Management

Measures

•The contractors are to give priority for employment to the locals so there will not be any discontentment in the local community.

Environmental Impact during Testing and Commissioning Phase

and Management

•The integrity of the pipeline will be check out by carrying a hydrostatic test. •The seawater used for the hydrostatic testing is inhibited by adding a few type of chemicals.

• Caused orange plume in the sea due to the tracer dye.

• The orange dye will disperse and dilute rapidly and eventually will disappear after a few hours.

• The negative impact on water quality and marine life is considered insignificant.

Impact of Inhibited Seawater Discharge

Management

measures

•Concentration of the chemicals used should be optimized and environmental friendly.•Project development team is responsible to ensure chemicals used is implemented

Figure 2: MLNG-Tiga Underwater Pipeline Development Project off the coast of Miri and Bintulu, Sarawak. (Sources: NREB, 2009)

Environmental Impacts during Operational Phase

• Routine activities associated with the operation phase: a)pipeline inspection b)maintenance c)corrosion protection monitoring

• Oil spill and chemicals spillage during maintenance and operation activities into water bodies will pollute the water column.

• The floating oil can be harmful to plankton communities.

• The impact to marine environment is significant.

Impact from Chemical Spillage

Management

measures

• Expired chemicals should be sent to shore for proper disposal.

• Technician should be adequately trained in chemical handling.

• Inspect the chemicals containers regularly for any leaks and corroded containers.

• Anti-fouling agent normally added into paint formulation to control bio-fouling.

• As a result small amount of the chemical released into the water column which is introducing the toxic heavy metals like Al, Cu, Ni and also Zn.

Impact from Fouling and Corrosion Protection

Management

measures

• Recommended amount of chemical compounds like anti-fouling agent which is allowable should be strictly adhered to for these bio-fouling controls.

Submarine pipelines are very importance nowadays. However, periodic inspection of submarine pipelines is recommended, especially after natural disaster, to ensure the integrity of the pipelines and also to reduce negative impacts.

Conclusion