Offshore staff
ST PETERSBURG, Russia – Nord Stream 2 AG has published a draft environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the Nord Stream 2 gas trunklines project in Russia.
Following an analysis of various options, the authors have identified the Narva Bay route through the southern, marginal part of the Kurgalsky reserve in the Kingisepp district of the Leningrad region as the preferred option for the Russian landfall due to its lower environmental and social impact.
The surveys of the proposed route are said to be the most detailed and complete ever performed in this region, expanding knowledge of the southern part of the Kurgalsky reserve and the adjacent Gulf of Finland.
According to Nord Stream AG, the detailed offshore surveys also went beyond the requirements of Russian legislation. At Estonia’s request, three layers of soil samples were analyzed separately (0-2 cm, 2-10 cm, 10-30 cm), allowing accurate data to be obtained for all 45 parameters assessed.
Aerial surveys were also conducted of marine mammals in addition to mandatory boat surveys, while officials from GosNIORKh undertook research to identify spawning grounds of Baltic herring and other fish in Narva Bay.
“The results of the preliminary environmental impact assessment show that, given implementation of the planned environmental protection measures, the Nord Stream 2 project will not have a significant negative impact on the environment, provided that the activities are carried out in accordance with the requirements of international and Russian environmental legislation,” concluded the draft EIA report’s team of authors from FRECOM, an independent Russian company specializing in environmental and industrial safety.
“The set of measures arranged as part of theNord Stream 2 project are sufficient to ensure minimal impact on the natural environment,” said Andrey Pedchenko, Director of GosNIORKh.
08/07/2017
