RIASSUNTO
ABSTRACT
The results of a multi-million dollar environmental research program consisting of thirty-three wildlife, biological, oceanographic meteorological, sea ice, and oil clean-up studies related to the southern Beaufort Sea are presented. The studies were designed to provide ecological baselines, a better understanding of the physical environment, knowledge related to the consequences of a possible oil spill and means of oil clean-up in ice-infested water. Seasonal offshore drilling in the Canadian Beaufort Sea from a floating vessel has been approved in principle and is scheduled to be undertaken during the open water period of 1976. The results of the studies will be used to recommend operating constraints to safeguard the environment and minimize any adverse impact. A unique feature of the program was its joint government-industry nature. Government agencies co-ordinate the program with considerable funding, management and scientific input from oil industry personnel. The two-year program was completed by the end of 1975 and reports became available in early 1976. The hostile environment, scope of the studies, research methods and study results are provided. An important phase of the program is public interface to inform northern natives, government, those with environmental concerns and others about the program and the study results.
INTRODUCTION
During the period 1963 to 1969, Beaufort Sea offshore permits to explore for oil and gas were issued for the majority of the continental shelf which extends some 75 to 100 miles from shore, to water depths of approximately 600 feet, shown on the location map, Figure 1. In mid1972, one group of ten companies and later, two other companies applied to the Federal Government for approval of floating vessels as exploratory drilling systems for the Beaufort Sea. The first approva1-in-princip1e of a floating drilling system was granted in mid-1973 followed by other approvals. These approvals were subject to completion of a number of environmental studies which would serve as the basis for the conditions and constraints to be included in a Drilling Authority. This environmental research program was stipulated in late 1973, and then consisted of twenty-nine studies estimated to cost $5.3 million, apart from in-house government support. The basis for funding these studies was resolved in February, 1974. Following two summers of field work reports and an environmental assessment were completed early in 1976.
THE BEAUFORT SEA ENVIRONMENT
The southern Beaufort Sea is usually ice covered nine months of the year and it is during the three or four months of open water or thin ice that exploratory drilling from a floating vessel is proposed. With the onset of winter in early October, freeze-up typically progresses seaward with relatively smooth ice extending for some 15 or 20 miles to an average water depth of 30 feet. Here, a very rough pressure-ridged band of ice grows outward to the 60-foot water depth where the land fast ice mass stabilizes early in the year.