Stakeholder confidence, monitoring and evaluation
Building stakeholder confidence
Before any major project is sanctioned an ESIA is required. Key to any ESIA is to identify and engage with all stakeholders to gain an understanding of their concerns. This engagement helps guide development planning for the project and looks at various alternative options for processes that may be involved. It also identifies potential conflicts that may arise. Read about the Jubilee ESIA special feature (PDF 0.70MB).
In 2009, Tullow formed a relationship with Kew Gardens in the UK to look at how we can improve restoration planning and rehabilitation when operations are completed. This project will commence in 2010.
Monitoring and evaluation
As Tullow’s operational influence and profile continue to grow, it becomes increasingly important for us to collate and report representative and accurate data consistently.
Geographical Information System (GIS)
Throughout 2009 Tullow has been utilising GIS information in the planning of its operations and as a way of transmitting information. GIS is a web-based data collection tool that provides us with a visual representation of the environmental impact of our operations. For example, it could be used to display the impact of a drill location on local communities. In 2010 we will be investing further in GIS to reflect ESIA findings and establish monitoring of projects. One of our aims is to carry out aerial surveys of Uganda on an annual basis to provide an in-depth assessment of the long-term impacts associated with production. This includes environmental impacts, such as biodiversity mapping, as well as socio-economic impacts such as the growth of communities around our operations.
Reporting workbooks
In 2009, we worked to strengthen our environmental data collection process with the introduction of a set of new reporting workbooks. The workbooks have been designed to provide robust criteria and guidelines for those individuals who are responsible for reporting environmental data. New features of the improved workbooks include detailed help boxes and built-in unit conversion tables. These tables allow users to input data in the units prescribed by local regulatory requirements for reporting. They then convert the data into standard units for Tullow reporting and make the process more efficient, consistent and reliable. These improvements will enhance the reliability of Tullow’s environmental performance data.
Ghana oil spill response
Members of GOELF viewing Emergency Response facilities at Aberdeen airport, UK.
In Ghana, an Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP) has been prepared to ensure rapid and appropriate action in the event of a spill. Oil spill contingency training has been given to key members of the Tullow team and, where appropriate, to the local Ghanaian agencies.
Tullow has also played a significant role in bringing together the relevant Ghanaian agencies that would be involved in handling such an incident to form the Ghana Offshore Emergency Leadership Forum (GOELF). Here Tullow's role has included hosting meetings for the group in Ghana, as well as organising and funding a trip to the United Kingdom to enable members to meet their North Sea counterparts and to share best practice experience in dealing with offshore incidents.