CHRONOLOGY
July 14, 2014: BOEM reminder to Local Stakeholders of BPXA Summer Open water Shallow Geohazard Survey Ancillary activities in support of the Liberty Development. (Personal information redacted)
June 25, 2014: Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) issued to BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. This Authorization is valid only for activities associated with an open-water shallow geohazard survey and related activities in the Beaufort Sea. The specific areas where BP's surveys will be conducted are within the Foggy Island Bay Area, Beaufort Sea, This Incidental Harassment Authorization (Authorization) is valid from July 1, 2014, through September 30, 2014.
May 8, 2014: Submerged Cultural Resources Assessment, Liberty Development Project, Beaufort Shelf, Alaska; Report date February 2014. This report provides the results of an archaeological analysis of seafloor coring and seismic survey data in support of the BPXA Liberty Development, Beaufort Sea, Alaska; in April and July 2013. No cultural resources, of either historic or prehistoric origin, were identified in any of the coring materials or remote-sensing data.
May 2, 2014: BOEM notification to local stakeholders of BPXA Summer Open water Shallow Geohazard Survey Ancillary activities in support of the Liberty Development. (Personal information redacted)
April 28, 2014: BOEM review letter of BPXA Inc. 2014 Summer Open water Geophysical Investigation ancillary Notice of Intent in support of the Liberty Development, Beaufort Sea, Alaska (dated Feb. 14, 2014). The BPXA ancillary activities in this notice consist of geotechnical and seabottom activities in support of the Liberty Development (OCS Lease Y-1650 and Y-1585). The notice describes on-lease ancillary activities as defined in 30 CFR 550.105 and 30 CFR 550.207. BOEM has evaluated the notification under the process outlined in 30 CFR 550.209 and concludes that, subject to listed conditions, the ancillary activities described in the notice comply with the performance standards under 30 CFR 550.202(a), (b), (d), and (e).
April 22, 2014: BOEM has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA - OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2014-056) and Finding of No Significant Impact of the potential effects of ancillary activities that aid in the review and determination of BPXA Inc. 2014 Liberty Ancillary Activities Shallow Geohazard Seismic Survey, Beaufort Sea, Alaska; specifically, whether the ancillary activities comply with the standards set forth in 30 CFR 550.202(a), (b), (d) and (e), as required by 30 CFR 550.209. The ancillary activities are detailed in a notice submitted by BPXA to BOEM on Feb. 14, 2014, and titled Notice to Conduct Ancillary Activities Liberty 2014 Shallow Geohazard Survey, Liberty Development, Beaufort Sea, Alaska.
March 28, 2014: BPXA response to BOEM March 5, 2014 request for additional information regarding Notice of Intent to conduct 2014 Summer Open water Geophysical Investigation Ancillary Activities.
March 7, 2014: BOEM Notice to Prepare Environmental Assessment for the BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. 2014 Liberty Ancillary Activities Shallow Geohazard Seismic Survey Beaufort Sea, Alaska (Regulations.gov as docket BOEM-2014-0025). Comments were accepted through March 19, 2014. No comments were received.
Feb. 14, 2014: BPXA Notice of Intent to conduct 2014 Summer Open Water Geophysical Investigation Ancillary Activities, in support of the Liberty Development, Beaufort Sea, Alaska; attached is the Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) which has a Project Description and project area map. The Liberty geohazard survey will consist of two phases. During the first phase, the Site Survey, the emphasis is on obtaining shallow geohazard data using an airgun array and a towed streamer. During the second phase, the Sonar Survey, data will be acquired both in the Site Survey location and subsea pipeline corridor area using a multibeam echosounder, sidescan sonar, subbottom profiler, and the magnetometer. Activity associated with the survey anticipated commencing with mobilization of equipment to Deadhorse about July 1; demobilization of equipment is planned for completion by end of September. The survey will take approximately 14 days to complete within this time period. Survey operations will be undertaken by two independent crews on two survey vessels. The approximate boundaries of the two survey areas are between 70°14'10"N and 70°20'20"N and between 147°29'05"W and 14r52'30"W.
Feb. 01, 2013: Polar Bear and Walrus Interaction Plan for BPXA, Inc. Areas of Operation. Polar Bear and Walrus Interaction Plan for managing human-polar bear and walrus interaction within BPXA’s operating fields on the North Slope. BPXA’s Polar Bear and Walrus Interaction Plan is designed to minimize human/polar bear and walrus interactions, to ensure the safety of all personnel and mitigate any potential impacts to polar bear or walrus well-being or survival. Revision Date: Feb. 1, 2013; Next Review Date: Sept. 27, 2014.