Tourism, Fisheries Opinions · conserving and managing natural resources, whether living and...
35
More Jobs, Money, and Tax Benefits on the Horizon or Loss of Tourism, Fisheries, and Ecosystem Services (Truths, ½ Truths, Lies?) Are there more jobs on the horizon? If so, what types and what are the Consequences? Is the sun setting or rising on oil/gas/wind? And other Questions Offshore Energy: Status, Reserves, Seismic, and Issues Roger D. Shew, UNCWilmington ([email protected])
Transcript of Tourism, Fisheries Opinions · conserving and managing natural resources, whether living and...
More Jobs Money and Tax Benefits on the Horizonor Loss of Tourism Fisheries and Ecosystem Services
(Truths frac12 Truths Lies)
Are there more jobs on the horizon If so what types and what are the
Consequences
Is the sun setting or rising on oilgaswind And
other Questions
Offshore Energy Status Reserves Seismic and IssuesRoger D Shew UNCWilmington (shewruncwedu)
OUTLINE
bull Definitions and a Little Historybull Current Status (Leasing Plans
Timelines Proposals)bull A Little Geologybull Volume Estimatesbull Seismic Databull Methods for Developmentbull Pros and Cons ndash Issuesbull Tourism Fisheriesbull Opinions
httpsdatadoigovdatasetatlantic-nad-83-ocs-planning-areas
Well Locations in the
Atlantic OCS
46 Industry Wells1976-1984
Definitions
bull State Waters to 3 nautical miles (exception is TX and west coast of
FL = 9 nautical miles)
bull Federal waters extend from 3 to 200 nautical miles or a maximum of 350
nautical miles depending on topography (continental shelf size) and
international boundaries w other countries
bull OCS is Outer Continental Shelf
Note 1 nautical mile = 115 miles
NC is Land Baron of East Coast
ldquoThe outer Continental Shelf is a vital national resource reserve held by the Federal Government for the public which should be made available for expeditious and orderly development subject to environmental safeguards in a manner which is consistent with the maintenance of competition and other national needsrdquo
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
1953 Sec 3(3)
ldquoManage the mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in anenvironmentally sound and safe mannerrdquo BOEMrsquos Mission Statement
DefinitionsGeologyReservesSeismic Issues
EEZ Sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring exploiting
conserving and managing natural resources whether living and
nonliving of the seabed and subsoil and the superjacent waters
and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation
and exploration of the zone such as the production of energy from the water currents and winds
bull January 27 2015 BOEM announces 2017-2022 leasing program (includes Atlantic)
bull March 15 2016 BOEM releases 2017-2022 five year plan ndash omits Atlantic
bull January 6 2017 BOEM denies six pending seismic testing permits for Atlantic
bull April 28 2017 President Trump signs Exec Order to speed up seismic testing permits
bull May 1 2017 Sec Zinke signs order to implement America-First Offshore Energy Strategy
bull May 3 2017 Concern with new Executive Order will allow drilling within 50 miles of coast and repeated lease sales
bull July 3 2018 Start Information Gathering (ongoing)
2017 ndash 2022w 50 mile buffer
2019 ndash 20243 Scenarios
7317 81717 1418 3918 late 2018 End of 2019Ended Ended
2019 ndash 2024 5 year plan
2020Mid and South Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic 2020 2022 2024
Estimated Timing
Exploration and Assessment and
Drilling2021 ndash 2028
Planning and Delineation2028 ndash 2030
Development and Production
gt2030
httpswwwboemgovNational-Program-Learnregionalmaps
Three Alternatives are Listed in thePreliminary PEIS for the Atlantic
1 Open the whole OCS State waters (0 - 3 nm) to the EEZ (200+nm)
2 Same as above but exclude Atlantic Canyon areas
3 Exclude areas closer than 25 nm
Proposed 5-Year Leasing Plan 2019-2024
North Atlantic (2021 2023)Mid-Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)South Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)
North Atlantic Sale
Middle Atlantic Sale
South Atlantic SaleStraits of Florida Sale
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
OUTLINE
bull Definitions and a Little Historybull Current Status (Leasing Plans
Timelines Proposals)bull A Little Geologybull Volume Estimatesbull Seismic Databull Methods for Developmentbull Pros and Cons ndash Issuesbull Tourism Fisheriesbull Opinions
httpsdatadoigovdatasetatlantic-nad-83-ocs-planning-areas
Well Locations in the
Atlantic OCS
46 Industry Wells1976-1984
Definitions
bull State Waters to 3 nautical miles (exception is TX and west coast of
FL = 9 nautical miles)
bull Federal waters extend from 3 to 200 nautical miles or a maximum of 350
nautical miles depending on topography (continental shelf size) and
international boundaries w other countries
bull OCS is Outer Continental Shelf
Note 1 nautical mile = 115 miles
NC is Land Baron of East Coast
ldquoThe outer Continental Shelf is a vital national resource reserve held by the Federal Government for the public which should be made available for expeditious and orderly development subject to environmental safeguards in a manner which is consistent with the maintenance of competition and other national needsrdquo
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
1953 Sec 3(3)
ldquoManage the mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in anenvironmentally sound and safe mannerrdquo BOEMrsquos Mission Statement
DefinitionsGeologyReservesSeismic Issues
EEZ Sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring exploiting
conserving and managing natural resources whether living and
nonliving of the seabed and subsoil and the superjacent waters
and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation
and exploration of the zone such as the production of energy from the water currents and winds
bull January 27 2015 BOEM announces 2017-2022 leasing program (includes Atlantic)
bull March 15 2016 BOEM releases 2017-2022 five year plan ndash omits Atlantic
bull January 6 2017 BOEM denies six pending seismic testing permits for Atlantic
bull April 28 2017 President Trump signs Exec Order to speed up seismic testing permits
bull May 1 2017 Sec Zinke signs order to implement America-First Offshore Energy Strategy
bull May 3 2017 Concern with new Executive Order will allow drilling within 50 miles of coast and repeated lease sales
bull July 3 2018 Start Information Gathering (ongoing)
2017 ndash 2022w 50 mile buffer
2019 ndash 20243 Scenarios
7317 81717 1418 3918 late 2018 End of 2019Ended Ended
2019 ndash 2024 5 year plan
2020Mid and South Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic 2020 2022 2024
Estimated Timing
Exploration and Assessment and
Drilling2021 ndash 2028
Planning and Delineation2028 ndash 2030
Development and Production
gt2030
httpswwwboemgovNational-Program-Learnregionalmaps
Three Alternatives are Listed in thePreliminary PEIS for the Atlantic
1 Open the whole OCS State waters (0 - 3 nm) to the EEZ (200+nm)
2 Same as above but exclude Atlantic Canyon areas
3 Exclude areas closer than 25 nm
Proposed 5-Year Leasing Plan 2019-2024
North Atlantic (2021 2023)Mid-Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)South Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)
North Atlantic Sale
Middle Atlantic Sale
South Atlantic SaleStraits of Florida Sale
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Well Locations in the
Atlantic OCS
46 Industry Wells1976-1984
Definitions
bull State Waters to 3 nautical miles (exception is TX and west coast of
FL = 9 nautical miles)
bull Federal waters extend from 3 to 200 nautical miles or a maximum of 350
nautical miles depending on topography (continental shelf size) and
international boundaries w other countries
bull OCS is Outer Continental Shelf
Note 1 nautical mile = 115 miles
NC is Land Baron of East Coast
ldquoThe outer Continental Shelf is a vital national resource reserve held by the Federal Government for the public which should be made available for expeditious and orderly development subject to environmental safeguards in a manner which is consistent with the maintenance of competition and other national needsrdquo
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
1953 Sec 3(3)
ldquoManage the mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in anenvironmentally sound and safe mannerrdquo BOEMrsquos Mission Statement
DefinitionsGeologyReservesSeismic Issues
EEZ Sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring exploiting
conserving and managing natural resources whether living and
nonliving of the seabed and subsoil and the superjacent waters
and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation
and exploration of the zone such as the production of energy from the water currents and winds
bull January 27 2015 BOEM announces 2017-2022 leasing program (includes Atlantic)
bull March 15 2016 BOEM releases 2017-2022 five year plan ndash omits Atlantic
bull January 6 2017 BOEM denies six pending seismic testing permits for Atlantic
bull April 28 2017 President Trump signs Exec Order to speed up seismic testing permits
bull May 1 2017 Sec Zinke signs order to implement America-First Offshore Energy Strategy
bull May 3 2017 Concern with new Executive Order will allow drilling within 50 miles of coast and repeated lease sales
bull July 3 2018 Start Information Gathering (ongoing)
2017 ndash 2022w 50 mile buffer
2019 ndash 20243 Scenarios
7317 81717 1418 3918 late 2018 End of 2019Ended Ended
2019 ndash 2024 5 year plan
2020Mid and South Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic 2020 2022 2024
Estimated Timing
Exploration and Assessment and
Drilling2021 ndash 2028
Planning and Delineation2028 ndash 2030
Development and Production
gt2030
httpswwwboemgovNational-Program-Learnregionalmaps
Three Alternatives are Listed in thePreliminary PEIS for the Atlantic
1 Open the whole OCS State waters (0 - 3 nm) to the EEZ (200+nm)
2 Same as above but exclude Atlantic Canyon areas
3 Exclude areas closer than 25 nm
Proposed 5-Year Leasing Plan 2019-2024
North Atlantic (2021 2023)Mid-Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)South Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)
North Atlantic Sale
Middle Atlantic Sale
South Atlantic SaleStraits of Florida Sale
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Definitions
bull State Waters to 3 nautical miles (exception is TX and west coast of
FL = 9 nautical miles)
bull Federal waters extend from 3 to 200 nautical miles or a maximum of 350
nautical miles depending on topography (continental shelf size) and
international boundaries w other countries
bull OCS is Outer Continental Shelf
Note 1 nautical mile = 115 miles
NC is Land Baron of East Coast
ldquoThe outer Continental Shelf is a vital national resource reserve held by the Federal Government for the public which should be made available for expeditious and orderly development subject to environmental safeguards in a manner which is consistent with the maintenance of competition and other national needsrdquo
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
1953 Sec 3(3)
ldquoManage the mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in anenvironmentally sound and safe mannerrdquo BOEMrsquos Mission Statement
DefinitionsGeologyReservesSeismic Issues
EEZ Sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring exploiting
conserving and managing natural resources whether living and
nonliving of the seabed and subsoil and the superjacent waters
and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation
and exploration of the zone such as the production of energy from the water currents and winds
bull January 27 2015 BOEM announces 2017-2022 leasing program (includes Atlantic)
bull March 15 2016 BOEM releases 2017-2022 five year plan ndash omits Atlantic
bull January 6 2017 BOEM denies six pending seismic testing permits for Atlantic
bull April 28 2017 President Trump signs Exec Order to speed up seismic testing permits
bull May 1 2017 Sec Zinke signs order to implement America-First Offshore Energy Strategy
bull May 3 2017 Concern with new Executive Order will allow drilling within 50 miles of coast and repeated lease sales
bull July 3 2018 Start Information Gathering (ongoing)
2017 ndash 2022w 50 mile buffer
2019 ndash 20243 Scenarios
7317 81717 1418 3918 late 2018 End of 2019Ended Ended
2019 ndash 2024 5 year plan
2020Mid and South Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic 2020 2022 2024
Estimated Timing
Exploration and Assessment and
Drilling2021 ndash 2028
Planning and Delineation2028 ndash 2030
Development and Production
gt2030
httpswwwboemgovNational-Program-Learnregionalmaps
Three Alternatives are Listed in thePreliminary PEIS for the Atlantic
1 Open the whole OCS State waters (0 - 3 nm) to the EEZ (200+nm)
2 Same as above but exclude Atlantic Canyon areas
3 Exclude areas closer than 25 nm
Proposed 5-Year Leasing Plan 2019-2024
North Atlantic (2021 2023)Mid-Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)South Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)
North Atlantic Sale
Middle Atlantic Sale
South Atlantic SaleStraits of Florida Sale
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
ldquoThe outer Continental Shelf is a vital national resource reserve held by the Federal Government for the public which should be made available for expeditious and orderly development subject to environmental safeguards in a manner which is consistent with the maintenance of competition and other national needsrdquo
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
1953 Sec 3(3)
ldquoManage the mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in anenvironmentally sound and safe mannerrdquo BOEMrsquos Mission Statement
DefinitionsGeologyReservesSeismic Issues
EEZ Sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring exploiting
conserving and managing natural resources whether living and
nonliving of the seabed and subsoil and the superjacent waters
and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation
and exploration of the zone such as the production of energy from the water currents and winds
bull January 27 2015 BOEM announces 2017-2022 leasing program (includes Atlantic)
bull March 15 2016 BOEM releases 2017-2022 five year plan ndash omits Atlantic
bull January 6 2017 BOEM denies six pending seismic testing permits for Atlantic
bull April 28 2017 President Trump signs Exec Order to speed up seismic testing permits
bull May 1 2017 Sec Zinke signs order to implement America-First Offshore Energy Strategy
bull May 3 2017 Concern with new Executive Order will allow drilling within 50 miles of coast and repeated lease sales
bull July 3 2018 Start Information Gathering (ongoing)
2017 ndash 2022w 50 mile buffer
2019 ndash 20243 Scenarios
7317 81717 1418 3918 late 2018 End of 2019Ended Ended
2019 ndash 2024 5 year plan
2020Mid and South Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic 2020 2022 2024
Estimated Timing
Exploration and Assessment and
Drilling2021 ndash 2028
Planning and Delineation2028 ndash 2030
Development and Production
gt2030
httpswwwboemgovNational-Program-Learnregionalmaps
Three Alternatives are Listed in thePreliminary PEIS for the Atlantic
1 Open the whole OCS State waters (0 - 3 nm) to the EEZ (200+nm)
2 Same as above but exclude Atlantic Canyon areas
3 Exclude areas closer than 25 nm
Proposed 5-Year Leasing Plan 2019-2024
North Atlantic (2021 2023)Mid-Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)South Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)
North Atlantic Sale
Middle Atlantic Sale
South Atlantic SaleStraits of Florida Sale
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
bull January 27 2015 BOEM announces 2017-2022 leasing program (includes Atlantic)
bull March 15 2016 BOEM releases 2017-2022 five year plan ndash omits Atlantic
bull January 6 2017 BOEM denies six pending seismic testing permits for Atlantic
bull April 28 2017 President Trump signs Exec Order to speed up seismic testing permits
bull May 1 2017 Sec Zinke signs order to implement America-First Offshore Energy Strategy
bull May 3 2017 Concern with new Executive Order will allow drilling within 50 miles of coast and repeated lease sales
bull July 3 2018 Start Information Gathering (ongoing)
2017 ndash 2022w 50 mile buffer
2019 ndash 20243 Scenarios
7317 81717 1418 3918 late 2018 End of 2019Ended Ended
2019 ndash 2024 5 year plan
2020Mid and South Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic 2020 2022 2024
Estimated Timing
Exploration and Assessment and
Drilling2021 ndash 2028
Planning and Delineation2028 ndash 2030
Development and Production
gt2030
httpswwwboemgovNational-Program-Learnregionalmaps
Three Alternatives are Listed in thePreliminary PEIS for the Atlantic
1 Open the whole OCS State waters (0 - 3 nm) to the EEZ (200+nm)
2 Same as above but exclude Atlantic Canyon areas
3 Exclude areas closer than 25 nm
Proposed 5-Year Leasing Plan 2019-2024
North Atlantic (2021 2023)Mid-Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)South Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)
North Atlantic Sale
Middle Atlantic Sale
South Atlantic SaleStraits of Florida Sale
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
7317 81717 1418 3918 late 2018 End of 2019Ended Ended
2019 ndash 2024 5 year plan
2020Mid and South Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic 2020 2022 2024
Estimated Timing
Exploration and Assessment and
Drilling2021 ndash 2028
Planning and Delineation2028 ndash 2030
Development and Production
gt2030
httpswwwboemgovNational-Program-Learnregionalmaps
Three Alternatives are Listed in thePreliminary PEIS for the Atlantic
1 Open the whole OCS State waters (0 - 3 nm) to the EEZ (200+nm)
2 Same as above but exclude Atlantic Canyon areas
3 Exclude areas closer than 25 nm
Proposed 5-Year Leasing Plan 2019-2024
North Atlantic (2021 2023)Mid-Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)South Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)
North Atlantic Sale
Middle Atlantic Sale
South Atlantic SaleStraits of Florida Sale
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
httpswwwboemgovNational-Program-Learnregionalmaps
Three Alternatives are Listed in thePreliminary PEIS for the Atlantic
1 Open the whole OCS State waters (0 - 3 nm) to the EEZ (200+nm)
2 Same as above but exclude Atlantic Canyon areas
3 Exclude areas closer than 25 nm
Proposed 5-Year Leasing Plan 2019-2024
North Atlantic (2021 2023)Mid-Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)South Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)
North Atlantic Sale
Middle Atlantic Sale
South Atlantic SaleStraits of Florida Sale
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Proposed 5-Year Leasing Plan 2019-2024
North Atlantic (2021 2023)Mid-Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)South Atlantic (2020 2022 2024)
North Atlantic Sale
Middle Atlantic Sale
South Atlantic SaleStraits of Florida Sale
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
NorthAtlantic
SouthAtlantic
Mid-Atlantic
Atlantic Last in Crude Oil and next to last in Natural Gas Reserve Estimates
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
The $100 price case assumes an inflation-adjusted price of $100bbl for oil and $534mcf for natural gas over the life of the 2019ndash2024 Program
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
httpswwwboemgovBOEM-OCS-Report-2016-071
BOE (bbbl)
1207
2023
1154
3751
1835
0414
0343
0288
0249
0122
1
2
4 5 3
6
7
8
9 10
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Atlantic Share of OCS Mean UTRR - GOM DominatesHowever GOM only had 10 BBO estimate in 1982
Oil 51
Natural Gas 117
BOE 77 (6 MCF = 1Barrel Oil Equivalent)
Mean Undiscovered Technically Recoverable Resources
US used (2016)273 TCFGyr (47 BBOE)71 BBOyr
httpswwwboemgovNational-Assessment-2016
Resource Volumes
UTRR - Oil and gas that may be produced by different methods but without any consideration of economic viability
httpswwweiagovtoolsfaqsfaqcfmid=33ampt=6
NC hasLargest Share425BBOE
httpswwwboemgov2016a-National-Assessment-Fact-Sheet
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
httpswwwftcomcontentc5f464ac-9e0b-11e8-85da-eeb7a9ce36e4
August 15 2018 PricesCrude Oil $6605barrelNatural Gas $295MCF
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
A revenue sharing cap of $500 million
per year for the four Gulf producing
States
httpwwwboemgovRevenue-Sharing
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA)
On December 20 2006 the President signed into law the
Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (Pub Law 109-432)
(A response to Katrina and Rita)
Democratic bill would block offshore
revenue sharing for Louisiana
September 28 2015
Under the bill 125 percent of the off-shore revenues
intended for the four Gulf States ndash up to $500 million a
year ndash would go to the Land and Water Conservation
Fund with the rest going to the federal treasury to
reduce the federal deficit
httppulsencpolicywatchorgwp-contentuploads201504mccrorytestimonypdf
Wed 24 May 2017
httpswwwcnbccom20170524trump-to-stop-sharing-gulf-of-mexico-crude-oil-royalties-with-stateshtml
President Trump End the Revenue Sharing with the Gulf States except for the Land and Water Conservation Fund ndash No sharing with Atlantic States
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Seismic Acquisition Reflection Seismic Data
Prospect Exploration and Development Exploratory Drilling
$11 billion $300000 ndash $1 millionday
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Why do you need seismic- Poor quality data from pre-1980- New technologyimaging- Reserve assessments- Is Prospect Viable or Not ndash Economics- Site PlanDelineation- Hazard Assessment
Ex 96 BBO in 1987 GOM estimate now gt48 BBO
Issues with Seismic Noise impacts
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
bull Eight permits accepted by 2015 by BOEM were undergoing review by the fisheries service
bull Incidental Harassment Authorization or IHA permits must be approved by the service before BOEM can move forward
bull Currently FIVE companies requesting seismic survey approvals (Issue is repeated surveys)
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
What is the Real Story on Seismic Surveys in Our Oceans
bull Impacts of seismic not fully known but repeated and largest ldquosoundsrdquo may and probably do have impact
bull But Saying that seismic kills and injures in all cases is not true
bull Need to take mitigation steps
1 Spotters on shipsThermal Imaging2 Passive acoustic monitoring3 Ramp up seismic signal4 Time of year avoidance5 Exclusion zones (critical areas)6 Spacing
Need more studies of effectsnew results give cautions
PURPOSE of EIS is assessment
Sonar is not Seismic TestingWind does require testing but not at high levels
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Proposed leasing and seismic survey areas support a
diverse assemblage of whales dolphins and sea
turtles including
bull Seven species of baleen whales
Minke whale sei whale Brydes whale fin whale blue
whale hump-back whale and the northern right whale
bull Twenty-three species of toothed whales
Bottlenose dolphin common dolphin etc
bull Four species of sea turtles
Loggerhead Green Kemps Ridley Leatherback
10 of the 34 species are listed as Threatened or Endangered
What else
Common Dolphin
Loggerhead
Sei Whale
Right WhaleNorth Atlantic Right Whale Critical habitat extended to SENC at Cape Fear (est 400 ndash 500)
Zooplankton
Fisheries
Shellfish
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
httpswwwarcgiscomhomewebmapviewerhtmlwebmap=76ee4a94c4fc438eaa3f35ab806066f6
Map shows Hardbottoms Coastal Loggerhead Turtles Oyster Areas and Bathymetry
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
We need more baseline data to determine fully what the Ecological Services are and what the impacts will be
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
bull Researchers have found that the noise from air-gun blasts can kill zooplankton
at distances of up to 12 kilometres away mdash more than two orders of magnitude
farther than previously thought
bull Zooplankton abundance dropped 64 within 1 hour of survey and there were
200-300 more dead plankton than measured before the survey (up to 12 km away)
bull US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is
considering 6 permit requests to conduct seismic
surveys - As part of that process the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must also
evaluate permit requests from those companies since
their proposed activities could affect marine mammals
bull Comment period over for seismic and leasing
httpswwwnaturecomnewsair-guns-used-in-offshore-oil-exploration-can-kill-tiny-marine-life-122167
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Research Cruise Mapping
180 - 230 dB similar to seismic testing
During seismic surveying reef-fish
abundance declined by 78 during
evening hours (time of maximum
activity before seismic activity)
httpsacels-cdncomS0308597X163073821-s20-S0308597X16307382-mainpdf_tid=1a0007fa-c7a1-11e7-afd7-00000aab0f27ampacdnat=1510488220_82e421f93f37ca3c3e5cd13b437a3b2fMarine Policy
Volume 78 April 2017 pp 68-73
Seismic Track (black line) reefs with hydrophones (blue) reef with video (orange)
Before Testing
Survey vessel 8 km away - During Testing
httppublicradioeastorgpostlocal-scientists-study-sesimic-testing-impacts-fish
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Mars Field Statistics
- Leased 1986
- Discovered 1989
- Drilling delineation wells through 1996
- Water Depth 3000 ft (914 m)
- Platform Set 1996 Production Begins
- Platform Cost ~$10 billion
- Production Capacity 220000 BOPD
220 MMCFG (Current 75000 BOPD)
- Reserves Original est 700 MMBO
- Produced to Date 850 MMBO
- Stacked Pliocene to Miocene Turbidites
Area so prolific an additional Mars B
Platform was set
- Mars BOlympus Platform largest in GOM
- First production began 2014
- Extend life of field to 2050
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Pros Cons
Reduce Dependency on Foreign Oil Limited Impact with Volumes PresentNot Dependent on OPEC
Lower Oil Prices Not enough product to lower prices
Jobs Jobs go to large ports Endangers other jobs
Stimulate the Economy (US NC) Adding Infrastructure
Loss of Revenue from Tourism Fisheries (both Recreational and
Commercial)
Artificial Reef Potential Oil SpillsHurricane Damage
Diversify Supply in Case of Natural Disasters
Ecosystem DamageImpactsBiodiversity Threatened (Ecological
Services)
Provide State Funding for Other Project ndash Revenue Sharing
No Guarantee of Revenue Sharing nor amounts suggested in study
Adding Infrastructure ndash Benefits other Business
Location Dependent Do you want Port Fourchon
Newer Technologies and Safety Measures (effective)
Technology Hardware and Humans = Chances for Error
Oil and Gas Cheap Relative to Other Fuels
Reliable 247 Fuel
Continues Dependency on Fossil Fuels Conservation and Efficiencies
Reducing Need
Seismic Surveys Safe Seismic Survey Questions
Senators and House Reps want It Gov Coastal Counties Oppose It
Offshore Energy IssuesPros and Cons
NOTEArguments usually fall along economic vs environmental lines depending on your ldquoaffiliationrdquo
Very IMPORTANT The Blue Economy of Tourism and Fisheries
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Santa Barbara - 1969 Ixtoc ndash 1979 Valdez ndash 198942 million gals 138 million gals 108 million gals
Deep Horizon ndash 2010205 million gallons~5 MMBO
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
When it comes to offshore oil drilling NC canrsquot have it allBY WILLIAM H SCHLESINGER January 25 2016
Economic arguments will be central in the fight against offshore oil drilling along the Southeastern states The politics in North Carolina heavily weighted toward corporate
interests favor energy development
The existence or importance of climate change is questioned by many especially those who like to drive big SUVs to the beach on weekends About the only argument I can see
holding any water will come from those well-heeled individuals who own coastal real estate or who wish to develop coastal areas for others to enjoy
The economics of NIMBY may prevail if these land owners worry about the risk of oil derricks silhouetted by the morning sunrise or an oil-soaked beach in their front yard If they
take the long view these landowners will connect the use of fossil fuels to sea-level rise also threatening their coastal land holdings
Lessons from the Deep-Water Horizon or Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are instructive Phytoplankton biomass in Gulf waters was 85 percent lower after the oil spil l
Some of the reduction might have been caused by the massive use of oil dispersants on the 5 million barrels of oil that flowed from the seabed Lower phytoplankton biomass
translates directly into lower fish and shellfish populations which feed on phytoplankton
The catch of fish after the oil spill was also lower due to the reduced effort of fishermen so we may never know the direct effect of the oil itself Overall effects on the catch of fish
and shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico are estimated at $25 billion for the three years after the spill It is clear that a similar spill off the coast of North Carolina would affect the
commercial and sport-fishing industry enjoyed by so many
As is the case in most oil spills oil washed onto beaches and marshes along the Gulf Coast coating a variety of birds that eventually died Dead birds are drama Oil on the
beaches had a huge effect on the tourist industry along the Gulf of Mexico which has taken years to recover Estimated losses are as large as $23 billion
httpwwwnewsobservercomopinionop-edarticle56514413html
Parsons et al 2015 Phytoplankton and the Macondo oil spill A comparison of the 2010 phytoplankton assemblage to baseline conditions on the Louisiana shelf Environmental Pollution (Barking Essex 1987) [15 Sep 2015 207152-160]
bull Effects on catch of fish and shellfish in GOM estimated at $25 billion for 3 years after spill(The closure area for fisheries at the height of the spill was 15 times the size of NC)
bull Tourist industry total losses estimated up to $23 billion
bull Estimated (most of spill stayed offshore difficult to assess s of birds) 200000 birds died
bull Phytoplankton biomass 85 lower in areas after oil spill
Haney et al 2016 Bird mortality from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill I Exposure probability in the offshore Gulf of Mexico MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol 513 225ndash237 2014 doi 103354meps10991
httpwwwgoverningcomtopicstransportation-infrastructuretns-bp-money-settlement-oil-spillhtml (Federal Government settlement with BP data summary)
httpseronmfsnoaagovdeepwater_horizonsize_percent_closureindexhtml
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
httpswwwfacebookcom151124088326866photosa18791474131446734222151124088326866542496702522934type=1amptheater
Hurricane FrequencyMajor Hurricane is a Cat 3 (gt110mph and Surge 9 ndash 12 ft)
NC FL LA(But it doesnrsquot take a Major Hurricane)
Percent Population Growth by Area
Southeast includes NC
30 of people live in Coastal Counties
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
County Tourism Expenditures
($millions)
Mecklenburg 5161
Wake 2171
Guilford 1348
Dare 1100
Buncombe 1070
Forsyth 846
Durham 775
New Hanover 554
Brunswick 543
Cumberland 525
Economic Impact of Tourism ndash 2016
County Expenditures
($ Millions)
Payroll
($ Millions)
Employment State Tax Receipts
($ Millions)
Local Tax Receipts
($ Millions
New Hanover 55360 12981 6150 2712 2217
Brunswick 54355 10520 5650 2539 3296
Pender 9218 1643 810 447 638
Carteret 35167 6505 3450 1597 2063
Onslow 22224 4239 1780 1177 839
3 Coastal Counties in Top 10httpspartnersvisitnccomeconomic-impact-studies
httpsportcitydailycomlocal-news20180323brunswick-county-ranked-as-fastest-growing-county-in-the-state-once-again
Total NC Coastal County Tourism (9 counties) = ~$3 billion
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
Value$17776188$29597826$ 6315997$ 999629$ 5655489
Other Shellfish FinfishOysters 158184 bushels$5571391 Tuna (Yellowfin) $233 millionClams 273280 lbs $2174491 Sea Bass $186 millionScallops 104181 lbs $ 913116 Tuna (Big Eyd) $135 million
Total Shellfish $60910405 Total Finfish $35598383 Total Catch $96508788
Finfish Est Harvested
Est lbsHarvested
Est Released
5541629 11024294 15392295
Recreational Fishing
Trip Estimates 4538858Fishing Licenses 469574
httpportalncdenrorgcdocument_libraryget_fileuuid=c28c00c7-c6d8-4550-b40b-07ca24f2ef96ampgroupId=38337
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
More Americans oppose than favor increased offshore drilling
JANUARY 30 2018
bull Oppose 51 Favor 42bull 10 change since 2014bull Democrats Oppose (71) Republicans Favor (70)bull Young Oppose Older Favorbull Coastal Zone (lt25 miles) more opposed
httpwwwpewresearchorgfact-tank20180130more-americans-oppose-than-favor-increased-offshore-drilling
Depth ~2450 metres (8000 feet)100000 barrelsday
North Carolina Poll Feb 14 2018
53 Oppose 37 Support
