Centre for Offshore Oil, Gas and Energy Research

Issue 1 March 2004 PDF | Text

Issue 2 August 2004 PDF | Text

March 2004 -Volume 1 - Issue 1

In This Issue:

• Risks from Drilling Fluids
• Real People: Susan Cobanli
• Oil Dispersion & PAH Uptake
• Deputy Minister Visits COOGER
• Scientific Journal Dedicates Issue to COOGER Research
• COOGER at International Oil Spill Conference
• New Wave Tank for Research
• Recent Publications
• EAISSNA
• COOGER Web Site
• What is COOGER?
• Contact Us

WHALE WATCHING:

Acoustic Monitoring and Marine Mammal Observations in the Gully Prior to and During an Active Seismic Program

~ Dr. Jean-François Gosselin, DFO research scientist at Institut Maurice-Lamontagne in Mont-Joli, Quebec, was the chief scientist on both cruises to the Scotian Shelf.

The Sable Island Gully is a deep, underwater canyon located about 200 km from Nova Scotia. This remarkable feature was formed by erosion thousands of years ago when sea levels were much lower. This area, and adjacent canyons, likely represent the major habitat of northern bottlenose whale, considered endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). The proposed Gully Marine Protected Area (MPA) is also along the migratory route of other marine mammals considered threatened by COSEWIC. In the last year, new licenses were issued by the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) and proposals were submitted by the offshore oil and gas industry to conduct seismic surveys in deep-water areas adjacent to the proposed Gully MPA.

Whales use sound for navigation, communication and echo-location of prey. There are concerns that underwater noise from offshore oil and gas exploratory activities may stress northern bottlenose whales and other marine mammal species in the area. In 2003, COOGER coordinated acoustical and biological studies in conjunction with EnCana Resources and Marathon Canada's seismic exploration programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate distribution and abundance of marine mammals in the proposed MPA and to evaluate their exposure to sounds before and during the deployment of seismic air source arrays.

The program included a baseline survey of acoustic recordings and whale distributions in the Gully and adjacent canyons in late April and early May 2003 before the onset of seismic exploration. In early July 2003, after the onset of seismic operations, the grid of acoustic stations and visual surveys for distribution of marine mammals in the Gully was repeated. In addition, ocean bottom seismometers were deployed to quantify seismic noise levels. These acoustic data are expected to validate the mathematical models that predict how sound travels in water – similar models to those used in the Environmental Impact Assessments for regulator approval of operations.

This project – with team members from four DFO regions (Quebec, Maritimes, Newfoundland and Pacific), University of Quebec at Rimouski, and Natural Resources Canada – provides a unique opportunity to improve our scientific knowledge and capacity. This will allow regulators and industry to plan and prepare for future, environmentally sound work in seismic testing. The final report for this research program and recommendations for further data analysis will be prepared by September 2004.

This important research has been supported by Anadarko Petroleum, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, British Petroleum (BP), DFO's species at risk funding program (SARCEP), EnCana Resources, Environmental Sciences Research Fund ( ESRF), Marathon Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Nova Scotia Department of Energy, and Petroleum Research Atlantic Canada (PRAC).

Assessing Risks to Fish and Their Habitat from Different Types of Drilling Fluids

~ Dr. Jerry Payne is a DFO research scientist at the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Oil-or synthetic-based drilling fluids offer a technical advantage over water-based fluids since they reduce or eliminate borehole problems and attendant risks, particularly where hole stability is a concern. Laboratory and field data for both synthetic and water-base fluids indicate that discharges from platforms into thoroughly mixed waters should result in little or no effect on fish and fish habitat.

However, there remain environmental issues related to drilling fluid discharges to be studied. Two issues being addressed by DFO with funds from the federal Program for Energy Research and Development (PERD) and the Environmental Studies Research Fund (ESRF) include: 1) information on chronic toxicity, and 2) the extent to which different types of drilling fluids may influence the nature and degree of any impacts on sediment communities (e.g., potential differences between ester and aliphatic based fluids).

The chronic toxicity studies focus principally on potential effects on the health of flounder and snow crab, while the sediment studies primarily involve defining dose-response relationships for organisms used in sediment bioassays (i. e., Microtox, polychaetes, amphipods). Tainting and depuration studies are also being carried out with snow crab, a species of major commercial importance on the Grand Banks.

Monitoring programs being carried out by the oil and gas industry on the Grand Banks include studies on fish health and sediment components, and are generally more comprehensive than those in other jurisdictions (e. g., North Sea, Gulf of Mexico). DFO laboratory studies on chronic toxicity, as well as the sediment bioassays, are designed to work jointly with industry's monitoring programs. Taken together, they will provide extra assurance and early warning of any risks related to potential impacts on fish or other ecosystem components.

One important function of laboratory studies that is often overlooked is a verification of whether effects noted in Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) programs are directly linked to discharges. It is of interest to note that, to date, laboratory studies indicate that the "toxic response" observed in some sediment bioassays around a development site on the Grand Banks were not related to the drilling fluid being used. The observed biological response was linked to natural processes. This finding has generated interest for regulators.

Payne, J. F. (2003) PERD and understanding potential effects of oil development: Grand Banks experience. In: An Overview of Marine Environmental Research Pertaining to West Coast Offshore Oil and Gas Development. Editors: D. Bancroft, R. A. Lake, S-L. Marshall and K. Lee. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2480. iii+ 164p.

REAL PEOPLE:

COOGER would not be possible without the dedication of Fisheries and Oceans Canada employees who work each day to ensure its success.

Susan Cobanli

Whether she is on the shores of France or the St. Lawrence River, or in a wetland in Nova Scotia, Susan Cobanli knows her central role as a member in the conduct of oil spill field trials.

Susan obtained an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in biology from St. Francis-Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia before accepting a position to work as Kenneth Lee's technician in 1985. Based at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Susan's day-to-day responsibilities include micro-biological analyses, data analysis and management, co-authoring scientific articles and maintaining laboratory safety. Susan is perhaps best known for her remarkable eye for logistical details when it comes to assisting in the planning to develop oil spill counter-measures and the conduct of field studies.

"It has been exciting to be part of a growing research area and to have watched it evolve over the years," says Susan.

Along with the rest of the COOGER team, Susan is looking forward to expanding her research experience into the areas of produced water and oil dispersants.

Does Chemically Dispersing Crude Oil Increase PAH Uptake by Fish?

~ Shahunthala D. Ramachandran is a graduate student working with Dr. Peter Hodson at Queen's University, School of Environmental Studies in Kingston, Ontario.

The use of oil dispersants is a controversial countermeasure in the effort to minimize oil spill impacts. Chemical oil dispersant use is based on the premise that oil levels are reduced by dispersion to concentrations that cause no biological effect. However the risk of ecological effects depends on whether oil dispersion increases or decreases the exposure of aquatic species to the toxic components of oil. Measurements of hydrocarbons have documented increases of up to 20-50 parts per million (ppm) in the top five metres of ocean water after chemical dispersion of crude oil. This is a 200-to 500-fold increase, assuming background values of 0.1 ppm.

A project funded by the federal Program for Energy Research and Development (PERD) and led by Queens University's School of Environmental Studies aims to provide a much more sensitive and appropriate detector to measure the same effect. The CYP1A biomarker of fish has been used to record the increase in exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) following dispersion of crude oil. In addition to providing numbers on the magnitude of increase in exposure, an estimation can be made of the risk to aquatic life, since CYP1A induction in tissues has been linked to ensuing toxicity.

Results from the study revealed that:

• exposure was 6-(low viscosity oil) to 1, 100-fold (high viscosity oil) higher with chemical dispersion;
• effectiveness of the dispersant Corexit 9500 was more pronounced with the viscous Terra Nova;
• exposure occurs at a very low concentration of dispersed crude oil (minimum EC 50 concent rations were 0. 001% vol/ vol with a total PAH concentration of 0.6 ppb) ; and
• CYP1A induction measurements were more sensitive than gas chromatograph/ mass spectroscopy at detecting low concentrations of PAH in chemically dispersed oils.

At present, the role of oil droplets in chemically dispersed solutions is being investigated. The research team is currently assessing the use of UV-epifluorescence microscopy techniques to determine if there is evidence of oil droplets in direct contact with gill tissues that could explain the increase in exposure. Preliminary information from epifluorescence microscopy indicates focal fluorescence in gills of fish exposed to chemically-dispersed crude oil.

Ramachandran, S., P. V. Hodson, C. W. Khana and K. Lee. (2004) Oil dispersant increases PAH uptake by fish exposed to crude oil. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. (In press)

DFO Deputy Minister Visits COOGER

Kenneth Lee (Executive Director, COOGER) presents an overview of COOGER activities to Neil Bellefontaine (Regional Director General , Maritimes Region) and Larry Murray (Deputy Minister) during the Deputy Minister' s visit to Bedford Institute of Oceanography in June 2003.

Scientific Journal Dedicates Issue to COOGER Research

The scientific journal, Spill Science and Technology Bulletin, has dedicated a special issue to profiling COOGER research. Released in 2003, the first issue of the eighth volume of this journal highlights research findings describing the mechanisms, environmental significance and applications of oil-particle interactions.

The profile of the importance of particles, both living and non-living, was raised with the recognition of their influence on the fate and effects of oil spilled into the aquatic environment.

To highlight this subject, DFO hosted an international workshop on oil-particle interactions in April 2000. The subsequent publication of a series of peer-reviewed manuscripts by biologists, chemists, geologi sts, physical oceanographers and modelers in Spill Science and Technology Bulletin highlights the significance of this emerging area of scientific interest. It is hoped that this initiative will stimulate discussion and new advances in what is proving to be an effective means to mitigate the detrimental effects of oil spills within aquatic environments.

COOGER Represented at International Oil Spill Conference

The International Oil Spill Conference (IOSC) was held in Vancouver , British Columbia on April 6-10, 2003. The IOSC is the preeminent gathering of oil spill response experts from around the world and represents a unique opportunity to catch up on all major developments in the field and to interact with the most knowledgeable people associated with those activities. This was the first time since 1969 that the conference had been held outside of the United States.

The theme of this year's biennial conference was Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Restoration – Perspectives for a Cleaner Environment. Close to 1,800 participants from fifty countries attended the technical sessions and viewed the 280 exhibits on display. Among the exhibits was the new COOGER display, featuring information about offshore oil and gas environmental impacts and risks and oil spills and remediation efforts. Two papers profiling COOGER research were presented: 'Habitat recovery in an oil-contaminated salt marsh following biorestoration treatments' by Kenneth Lee ( DFO), and ' Characteristics of oil droplets stabilized by oil-mineral aggregation' by Ali Khelifa (Dalhousie University).

Additional information about the International Oil Spill Conference can be found at http://www.iosc.org/.

New Wave Tank

A new experimental wave tank will be constructed at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, under a collaboration between the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, the University of Cincinnati, Temple University and DFO. The wave tank, to be constructed of carbon steel , will be used to study oil -mineral interactions and oil dispersant activity. The wave tank will be unique in its ability to generate continuous waves using either cool sea water or fresh water. Construction is currently underway and the first experiments will be conducted in spring of 2004.

Recent COOGER Publications

Cloutier, D., C. L. Amos, P. R. Hill and K. Lee (2003) Oil erosion in an annular flume by seawater of varying turbidities: A critical bed shear stress approach. Spill Science and Technology Bull et in 8: 83-93.

Cranford, P. J., D. C. Gordon Jr., C. G. Hannah, J. W. Loder, T. G. Milligan, D. K. Muschenheim and Y. Shen. 2003. Modelling potential effects of petroleum exploration drilling on northeastern Georges Bank scallop stocks. Ecological Modelling 166: 19-39.

Greer, C. W., N. Fortin, R. Roy, L. G. Whyte and K. Lee (2003) Indigenous sediment microbial activity in response to nutrient enrichment and plant growth following a controlled oil spill on a freshwater wetland. Bioremediation Journal 7: 69-80.

Hill, P. S., A. Khelifa and K. Lee (2003) Time scale for oil droplet stabilization by mineral particles in turbulent suspensions. Spill Science and Technology Bulletin 8: 73-81.

Khelifa, A., P. Stoffyn-Egli, P. S. Hill and K. Lee (2003) Characteristics of oil droplets stabilized by mineral particles: Effects of oil types and temperature. Spill Science and Technology Bull et i n 8: 19-30.

King, T. L., K. Lee, P. Yeats and R. Alexander (2003) Chlorobenzenes in snow crab (Chionoectes opilio): Time-series monitoring following an accidental release. Bulletin of Environmental Contaminantion and Toxicology 71: 543-550.

Le Floch, S., J. Guyomarch, F. X. Merlin, P. Stoffyn-Egli, J. Dixon and K. Lee (2003) The influence of salinity on oil-mineral aggregate formation. Spill Science and Technology Bulletin 8: 65-71.

Le Floch, S., J. F. Børseth, P. Le Corre and K. Lee (2003) Effects of oil and bioremediation on mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) growth in mudflats. Environmental Technology 24: 1211-1219.

Lee, K. (2003) Oil-particle interactions in aquatic environments: Influence on the transport, fate, effect and remediation of oil spills. Spill Science and Technology Bulletin 8: 3-8.

Lee, K., A. D. Venosa, M. T. Suidan, S. Garcia-Blanco, C. W. Greer, G. Wohlgeschaffen, S. E. Cobanli, G. H. Tremblay and K. G. Doe (2003) Habitat recovery in an oil-contaminated salt marsh following biorestoration treatments. Proceedings of the 2003 International Oil Spill Conference, Vancouver, B. C., April 7-10, 2003. American Petroleum Institute Publication No. 14730A -CD ROM (American Petroleum Institute Publication No. 14730B -Bound copy: In Press).

Lee, K., G. Wohlgeschaffen, G. H. Tremblay, B. T. Johnson, G. A. Sergy, R. C. Prince, C. C. Guénette and E. H. Owens (2003) Toxicity evaluation with the Microtox test to assess the impact of in-situ oiled shoreline treatment options: Natural attenuation and sediment relocation. Spill Science and Technology Bulletin 8: 273-284.

Lee, K., P. Stoffyn-Egli, G. H. Tremblay, E. H. Owens, G. A. Sergy, C. C. Guénette and R. C. Prince (2003) Oil-mineral aggregate formation on oiled beaches: Natural attenuation and sediment relocation. Spill Science and Technology Bulletin 8: 285-296.

Mueller, D. C., J. S. Bonner, S. J. McDonald, R. L. Autenrieth, K. C. Donnelly, K. Lee, K. G. Doe and J. Anderson (2003) The use of toxicity bioassays to monitor the recovery of oiled wetland sediments. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 22: 1945-1955.

Muschenheim, D. K. and K. Lee (2003) Removal of oil from the sea surface through particulate interactions: Review and prospectus. Spill Science and Technology Bulletin 8: 9-18.

Prince, R. C., R. M. Garrett, R. E. Bare, M. J. Grossman, T. Townsend, J. M. Suflita, K. Lee, E. H. Owens, G. A. Sergy, J. F. Braddock, J. E. Lindstrom and R. R. Lessard (2002) The roles of photooxidation and biodegradation in long-term weathering of crude and heavy fuel oils. Spill Science and Technology Bulletin 8: 145-156.

Electronic Atlas of Ichthyoplankton on the Scotian Shelf of North America (EAISSNA)

~ Robert M. Branton is a DFO fisheries biologist at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

The EAISSNA database contains information on location and time of spawning, abundance and distribution of eggs and larvae of marine fish on the Scotian Shelf of North America. Close to 200 scientific publications from 1919 to 2001 were reviewed and original analysis was conducted on archived data sets from DFO's Scotian Shelf Ichthyoplankton Program and Fisheries Ecology Program, which ran from 1976 to 1982. These sources provided information on 107 species of fish and invertebrates. The database is intended for use in environmental assessment of offshore hydrocarbon exploration and development, as well as other ocean management activities. Development of the atlas was sponsored by the Environmental Studies Research Funds (ESRF) and will be appearing as part of their report series. It will also be published as a DFO technical report. The report can now be viewed on the Centre for Marine Biodiversity web site at: http://www.marinebiodiversity.ca/.

A related hands-on workshop for interested industry and science staff was held on January 16, 2004 at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO). Thirteen participants from DFO, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, the World Wildlife Fund and numerous consulting companies met at BIO to gain a more detailed appreciation for the structure and content of the EAISSNA database, better understand its limits and possibilities, and discuss future directions.

VISIT US ONLINE

New COOGER Web Site

www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/coe-cde/cooger-CRPGEE/index-eng.htm

DFO is pleased to announce the creation of a new web site dedicated to Canadian offshore oil and gas environmental research. The COOGER web site provides press releases, more than 20 related scientific project descriptions, terms of reference and links to other organizations participating in COOGER research projects. Please bookmark the site and visit it regularly to view new project descriptions and newsletters.

ABOUT US

What is COOGER?

In November 2002, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) established the Centre for Offshore Oil, Gas and Energy Research (COOGER) to co-ordinate the department' s nation-wide research into the environmental and oceanographic impacts of offshore petroleum exploration, production and transportation.

This national research centre – based at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia – seeks to improve scientific knowledge, identify priority research needs, and coordinate and implement collaborative research efforts.

Through a national approach to science coordination, COOGER aims to optimize current and future research initiatives and to build upon existing regional research expertise and infrastructure. COOGER addresses the departmental mandate and industry need of ensuring safe and environmentally sound management of off shore oil and gas operations.

COOGER strives to improve the quality of science by fostering research collaborations with other government research agencies, universities and industry, thus minimizing research duplication. Furthermore, it will seek out new funds to support research on offshore oil and gas environmental issues. COOGER research findings will be available for use by external partners and DFO resource managers. COOGER also facilitates the opportunity to share experiences and to foster collaboration at the international level. COOGER looks forward to learning from the past experiences of other key countries to avoid reinventing the wheel in Canada. It is recognized within COOGER that the potential to design and conduct large-scale research projects by sharing expertise and resources in an international setting is almost limitless.

CONTACT US:

Dr. Kenneth Lee Executive Director, COOGER
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Bedford Institute of Oceanography
1 Challenger Drive, PO Box 1006 Dartmouth NS B2Y 4A2
Tel.: (902) 426-7344 Fax: (902) 426-1440
E-mail: LeeK@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

COOGER Update is a bilingual newsletter published by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to provide information on emerging issues and research activities coordinated by the Centre for Offshore Oil, Gas and Energy Research. Published three times a year, it is also available electronically on the COOGER web site.