Seismic surveys near gray whale feeding areas off Sakhalin Island, Russia: assessing impact and mitigation effectiveness
Abstract
In 2015, two oil and gas companies conducted seismic surveys along the northeast coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia, near western gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) feeding areas. This population of whales was listed as Critically Endangered at the time of the operations described here but has been reclassified as Endangered since 2018. The number and duration of the 2015 seismic surveys surpassed the level of previous seismic survey activity in this area, elevating concerns regarding disturbance of feeding gray whales and the potential for auditory injury. Exxon Neftegas Limited (ENL) developed a mitigation approach to address these concerns and, more importantly, implemented a comprehensive data collection strategy to assess the effectiveness of this approach. The mitigation approach prioritized completion of the seismic surveys closest to the nearshore feeding area as early in the season as possible, when fewer gray whales would be present. This was accomplished by increasing operational efficiency through the use of multiple seismic vessels and by establishing zones with specific seasonal criteria determining when air gun shutdowns would be implemented. These zones and seasonal criteria were based on pre-season modeled acoustic footprints of the air gun array and on gray whale distribution data collected over the previous 10 years. Real-time acoustic and whale sighting data were instrumental in the implementation of air gun shutdowns. The mitigation effectiveness of these…
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