GWF-2/Rankin Bank Monitoring Programme 2017, Western Australia (WEL)

Towed Video transects + Digital StillsCTDBRUVSSediment Samples
The intent of this work is to conduct an environmental monitoring program and deliver a written report on the condition and status of the biological communities of Rankin Bank and its surrounds before and after Woodside's Greater Western Flank-2 (GWF-2) development activities, located on the Northwest Shelf. The monitoring program will also provide an opportunity to conduct field assessment of biological and physical receptors before, during and after key planned activities and some of the identified management measures, particularly, those relating to drill cuttings and muds disposal.
The existing environmental description includes the completion of a comprehensive baseline dataset for the nearest environmental sensitivity to the development, a submerged shoal system, Rankin Bank. Woodside supported AIMS to complete environmental surveys of Rankin Bank in 2013 and the surrounding habitat in 2014. The survey findings indicated that Rankin Bank is a complex submerged shoal system comprising diverse hard substrate habitats and benthic communities composed of hard corals, filter feeders (sponges and octocorals) and macro-algae with diverse and abundant site-attached fish assemblages.