The development of deep-water oil fields such as Girassol located in offshore Angola (Block 17) has involved "regional" baseline surveys on the continental margin of Angola, Congo and Gabon.

TotalFinaElf performed these prior to launching "on-site" baseline studies and environmental impact assessments.

Little was known about this particular marine environment at the start of these development projects which spanned waters ranging from 400 m to 4 000 m deep, approximately 200 to 300 km from the coasts. To complete the logistically challenging oceanographic campaigns, several regional studies were launched in 1999. These studies were accomplished with a close partnership between TotalFinaElf and Ifremer, the French oceanographic institute within the scope of a 3-year R&D program (Zaïango and Bio-Zaïre projects) and also other research centers such as Akvamiljø in Norway.

The aim of this program, with the help of new investigation technologies (ROV, self-contained modules, multitubes and USNEL coring,...) is twofold: - Acquire a thorough knowledge of marine benthic ecosystems, present at such great depth, - Develop a precise assessment of potential impacts of exploration and production activities in such an environment.

This paper puts forward the interest of these scientific co-operations in understanding deep sea phenomena (gas hydrates, detritus and chemo-synthetic based ecosystems, seabed colonization...) for assessing the initial status of the marine environment prior to any industrial activities and organizing later site monitoring programs.

Introduction

The present paper focuses on the integrated environmental approach set up for the environmental management of any new project, particularly those in deep offshore.

This paper highlights the following main areas: - EIA methodology as project management tool and its application to projects in sensitive areas and deep offshore, - R&D in deep water environments and the projects undertaken with Research Centers such as Ifremer and Akvamiljø - Experience gained from the Girassol project developed in the deep offshore Angola.

EIA as real Environmental concerns are taken into account at every stage of a project design, in the framework management tool of a structured approach.

BLOCK 1 - - FORUM 6 517

ASSESSING IMPACT OF DEEP WATER EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION OPERATIONS

It begins with prospect studies, continues with preliminary and conceptual studies, followed by pre project studies to arrive to project phase with basic and detailed engineering or Front End Engineering Design (FEED) and Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC), see Fig.1.

Environment has to be involved very early and at all steps of a project (1). Much more than for projects in shallow waters, all the environment management tools are key elements for deep-water project des

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