NERI Technical Report No. 652: A preliminary strategic environmental impact assessment of mineral and hydrocarbon activities on the Nuussuaq peninsula, West Greenland. Boertmann, D., Asmund, G., Glahder, C. & Tamsdorf, M. 2008. 66 pp

 

Summary

There is an increasing interest in mineral and hydrocarbon exploration in Greenland and the Nuussuaq peninsula is in focus with regard to both activities. In 1996, an oil exploration well was drilled, and a company is currently engaged in exploration for nickel. However, before more activities are initiated, the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum (BMP), Greenland Home Rule, has requested a strategic environmental impact assessment with regard both to mineral and petroleum activities in the area.

 

Impacts from mineral and hydrocarbon activities mainly include:

 

Common to mineral and hydrocarbon activities:

 

• disturbance of wildlife

• visual impacts

• damage to vegetation and terrain

• waste water release

• release of drilling substances

• emissions to air

 

Impacts from mineral activities:

 

• deposition of waste rock and tailings

• risk of dust contamination

 

Impacts from hydrocarbon activities:

 

• seismic surveys

• release of produced water

• chronic oil contamination

• risk of acute oil spill

 

There is a high risk of conflict between activities and environmental issues on the Nuussuaq peninsula, because the lowlands are restricted mainly to narrow coastal fringes and a few long and wide valleys. In these lowlands most of the mammals, birds and continuous vegetation are found, and the lowlands will most likely be used at least as transport corridors and probably also for exploration activities.

 

Valued ecosystem components (VECs) of the Nuussuaq peninsula include:

 

• the caribou population (small, isolated and red-listed as ‘Vulnerable’)

• the Greenland white-fronted goose (declining and small population, red-listed as ‘Endangered’)

• other birds: gyr falcon, great northern diver (common loon), common eider, harlequin duck, kittiwake and Arctic tern

• important habitats for these species

• seabird breeding colonies along the coasts

• Arctic char and the rivers where they spawn and winter

• rare plants and their habitats

• areas with particularly vigorous/luxuriant vegetation

 

There is, however, a lack of biological information from the area, and the missing data should be obtained before specific EIAs are carried out.

 

A preliminary impact assessment of mineral and hydrocarbon activities in the area points to the risk of:

 

• negative effects on populations of caribou and the Greenland white-fronted goose

• negative effects on seabird breeding colonies

• negative effects on rare plants

• large-scale visual impacts on landscapes

• chemical pollution particularly from tailings and waste rock

• oil pollution from produced water

• oil spills

• large emissions of greenhouse gasses

 

Modern technical solutions, including Best Available technology (BAT) and Best Environmental Practice (BEP), combined with strict regulation in order to avoid activities in sensitive areas and sensitive periods can in most cases mitigate and minimise impacts to acceptable levels.

 

Activities carried out by the local population, such as fishing and hunting, take place mainly in the coastal areas. Resources occurring here, such as capelin and Arctic char, are at risk of being be impacted by oil spills, and spawning stocks of Arctic char may be impacted if their passways are obstructed. Inland activities mainly include caribou hunting, which may be reduced or even stopped if the caribou population is reduced as a consequence of mineral or hydrocarbon activities.

 

Pollution from activities on land will usually be of a local or regional extent. Even an oil spill will be rather limited in distribution as long as it occurs on land. If an oil spill reaches the marine environment, e.g. transported by rivers, there is a risk of more extensive and widespread impacts.

 

Emission to the atmosphere may in the case of greenhouse gasses have global impacts and particularly a large oil field will have the potential to double the current Greenland contribution of carbondioxide. Arctic haze is also an issue to be aware of in case of large scale activities, particularly in the valleys of the peninsula.

Studies to be carried out as soon as possible:

 

• an aerial survey of Greenland white-fronted geese in July

• mapping of calving grounds and migration routes of the caribou population

• ground truthing of existing satellite images of vegetation types

• a general survey of fauna and flora in combination with the other studies

 

Other studies to be carried out before extensive activities are initiated:

 

• background mapping of chemicals in the environment

• a survey of bathymetry and benthos of the surrounding waters in case of marine deposition of tailings

• a survey of seabird breeding colonies

• mapping of rare plants and their habitats

 

Full report in pdf-format (7,490 kB)