Update: additional information on UK JNCC June 2009 Guidelines for seismic surveys
As mentioned in a previous IAGC Member Alert, the UK’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has released a revised version of their Guidelines for Minimising the Risk of Disturbance and Injury to Marine Mammals from Seismic Surveys (June 2009). The June 2009 version of the guidelines is available at http://www.jncc.gov.uk/pdf/Seismic%20Guidelines%20June%202009_ver01.pdf and more information is available on the JNCC website at http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1534.
There have been inquiries about whether or not the new June 2009 JNCC Guidelines apply to Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) licenses approved before the issuance of the new June 2009 JNCC Guidelines. In response, IAGC contacted JNCC and can confirm that the new June 2009 Guidelines will apply to new DECC applications for exploration licenses and supplementary seismic survey licenses. The April 2004 version of the JNCC Guidelines apply to seismic operations currently underway and proposed surveys which have already received an approved exploration license or supplementary seismic survey license from DECC Oil & Gas. If you have any questions regarding which version of the JNCC Guidelines apply to your seismic survey in UK waters, please contact DECC Oil & Gas directly at EnvironmentalManagementTeam@berr.gsi.gov.uk or +44 (0) 1224 254001. If you have specific questions about the content of the JNCC guidelines, please contact JNCC at seismic@jncc.gov.uk or +44 (0) 1224 655720.
In the next few weeks, JNCC anticipates distributing an email message to E&P companies and geophysical companies regarding the June 2009 version of the Guidelines, their applicability and implementation.
If you have any questions or require additional information regarding this Member Alert, please contact Sarah Tsoflias at sarah.tsoflias@iagc.org or +1 785-424-3800.