A small population of western gray whales (WGW) migrate to an area off Sakhalin’s northeast coast to feed during summer months. Sakhalin Energy is committed to minimising any potential risk to the whales. An independent WGW Advisory Panel (WGWAP) provides expert advice to Sakhalin Energy and has acknowledged it is positively influencing the Company’s activities.
In December 2008, Sakhalin Energy won the inaugural Environmental Project of the Year award, established by the Russian Federation’s Natural Resources Ministry, for its Western Gray Whales protection programmes.
Sakhalin Energy is working with a long-term Western Gray Whales Advisory Panel (WGWAP) made up of leading whale and marine scientists who are providing independent advice to manage potential risks to the WGW. The panel’s main objective is to create a framework for co-ordination and co-operation among all interested parties, with the ultimate aim of assisting the conservation of the WGW population.
The Company has committed to implement all reasonable recommendations from the WGWAP, taking into account considerations such as compliance with Russian law. The Company also publishes its responses to the scientists’ recommendations, as part of a transparent process. Following advice from the review panel set up prior to the establishment of the WGWAP, Sakhalin Energy changed the route of the offshore section of its pipeline to avoid the feeding area of the WGW.
In all oil exploration and production projects there is a risk of oil spill. Sakhalin Energy has analysed the impact of oil spill on the WGW and concluded that it is very low, based on the characteristics of the oil and the credible oil spill scenarios.
Sakhalin Energy has been working extensively with the WGWAP 4D Seismic Survey Task Force to mitigate any potential impacts of its planned 4D seismic survey in 2009. The April 2008 WGWAP meeting report acknowledged this by stating, “…not only had a considerable amount of work been undertaken but this probably represented the most thorough work with respect to seismic surveys and cetaceans, in advance of the seismic field operations, yet undertaken anywhere.”
The 2008 International Whaling Commission (IWC) scientific committee report gives Sakhalin Energy a special mention for its engagement with the WGWAP. It reads, “...the Committee commends the participation of the oil company Sakhalin Energy Investment Company in the WGWAP process, and recommends that other oil and gas development companies working on the Sakhalin Island shelf cooperate fully with the WGWAP process.”
The installation of the PA-B topsides in July 2007 was performed in line with the noise level criteria recommended by the WGWAP in 2005, and Sakhalin Energy has continued to stringently use these criteria in the 2006, 2007 and 2008 seasons. The relationship between Sakhalin Energy and the WGWAP is developing positively. The WGWAP meeting report in November 2007 includes the statement, “the Panel members continue to consider their participation in the WGWAP process to be worthwhile”.
