Science Response 2015/019

Review of the Net Environmental Benefit Analysis Support for the Shelburne Basin Venture Exploration Drilling Project

Context

On January 14, 2015, the Ecosystem Management Branch, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in the Maritimes Region requested that DFO Maritimes Science review a draft document entitled “Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA) Support of the Shelburne Basin Venture Exploration Drilling Project (Draft 4b Report)” and associated supplementary material entitled “Trajectory Modelling in Support of the Shelburne Basin Exploratory Drilling Program: Analysis of Dispersant Application”. Ecosystem Management requested DFO Science advice related to the following questions:

1. Does the document and associated supplementary material accurately describe and consider the marine ecosystem components that would be at risk from an oil spill incident?
2. Is the spill modelling used for the analysis consistent with DFO's knowledge and understanding of bio-physical dynamics of the study area?
3. Does the document and associated supplementary material present its analysis, concluding results, and recommendations in a manner that is logical and consistent with DFO's understanding of oil spill risks, including those associated with the implementation of various spill response measures?

Results of the review will be provided to the Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB), which is the independent joint agency of the Government of Canada and Province of Nova Scotia responsible for the regulation of petroleum activities in the Nova Scotia Offshore Area (see: Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board). It was requested that DFO Science provide a response by February 4, 2015. To achieve this deadline, sections of the document and associated supplementary material were assigned to DFO Science experts based on subject matter areas of expertise. A limitation of the review was the short turnaround period of two weeks, which constrained the depth, nature, and level of DFO Science review of the NEBA document and associated supplementary material. Within the two week turnaround period, DFO Science reviewers only had 7 days to review and provide comments.

Given the short timeframe for review a DFO’s Science Response Process (SRP) was used. This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process of January 23, 2015, on the “Review of the Net Environmental Benefit Analysis Support for the Shelburne Basin Venture Exploration Drilling Project” document and associated supplementary material. Last, results of the SRP were presented at an Environment Canada Science Table meeting held on January 29, 2015, which was scheduled to discuss the NEBA document and its associated supplementary material.

Complete document (PDF, 142 KB)

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