Page 26 - The Voice 2017

UNITED

KINGDOM

JNCC Guidelines for Minimizing
the Risk of Injury & Disturbance
to Marine Mammals from

IAGC Works with UK OGA on Multi-Client Seismic Surveys
Data rules to Protect Value of Data
The IAGC finds the Joint Nature Conservancy
The UK Oil and Gas Authority's (OGA) recently released Committee's (JNCC) most recent draft guidelines
consultation on its 'Proposed Regulations for the from November 2016 to be generally clear,
Retention and Disclosure of Information and Samples' straightforward and practical and offered the
which will change how geophysical data collected within following input for consideration: continued use of a
UK jurisdiction is released in the future. simple 500-metre mitigation radius ("zone"); removal
of new, undefined spatial mitigation "Areas of
In the 25 August comments, the IAGC agrees with the Importance to Marine Mammals" (AIMM);
10-year retention of processed data and the 15-year unnecessarily complex and confusing guidance for
retention of field data but requests more clarification. We operations during line changes; clarification for
also request exceptions for frontier and reprocessed data, Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM)
commercial return, intellectual property and patents, and recommendations and requirements; removal of the
geographical areas. The Association does not agree that Non-Compliance Report Form which is not
disclosure of geophysical survey information (licensee, important; removal of the requirement that an EIA
contractor names, start and end dates of the survey, type be included in the application; and removal the
of survey, location of the survey) should be released at reference to non-marine mammals from the
any point. guidelines.

The Consultation only applies to data acquired after the In 1995, the UK government adopted guidelines
regulations take effect. Any rules enacted will not have developed by JNCC to minimize disturbance to small
any effect on existing data. cetaceans from seismic surveys and other operations

26 THE VOICE