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.拖曳视频断面调查、数字静态影像采集、CTD、RUV与沉积物样品采集。本项目旨在开展环境监测计划，并针对位于西北陆架的伍德赛德（Woodside）大西翼2号（Greater Western Flank-2, GWF-2）开发活动的前后时段，出具关于兰金滩（Rankin Bank）及其周边海域生物群落状况与存续状态的书面报告。本次监测计划还将提供实地评估契机，可在关键规划活动及部分已明确的管理措施（尤其是涉及钻屑与泥浆处置的相关措施）实施的前、中、后期，对生物与物理受体开展评估。现有环境调研成果已针对与本开发项目环境关联度最高的水下潜滩系统——兰金滩，完成了全面的基线数据集搭建。伍德赛德曾资助澳大利亚海洋科学研究所（Australian Institute of Marine Science, AIMS）于2013年完成兰金滩的环境调查，并于2014年完成周边生境的环境普查。调查结果显示，兰金滩为一座复杂的水下潜滩系统，涵盖多样的硬质底栖生境，以及由硬珊瑚、滤食性生物（海绵与八放珊瑚）和大型藻类构成的底栖群落，同时伴生着多样且丰富的定居性鱼类种群。