Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental,
Social and Health Impact Assessment (EIA and ESHIA)
Indigenous People’s Consultation Program, Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Community Investment Strategy for an Onshore Oil and Gas Exploration Project in and around Indigenous Community Reserves, Colombia
Acorn International is leading a complex stakeholder engagement and community investment program for an onshore exploration program including an expansive 2-D seismic survey in a rural area of eastern Colombia. The project area includes 14 indigenous group territories plus communities with refugees, rebel groups, paramilitaries and people engaged in the illegal cultivation and processing of coca. Acorn International and its Colombian partner are responsible for designing and helping to lead the stakeholder/community engagement plan, community investment strategy and indigenous people “prior consultation program” in accordance with Colombian law, company standards, and best practices from the World Bank, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and related organizations. We started this work by organizing and facilitating a community relations and investment planning workshop, and have convened an expert panel to help provide assurance and direction of stakeholder engagement on the project.
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Stakeholder Engagement / Permitting Facilitation for an Onshore Oil and Gas Exploration Project in a Remote Tropical Forest/Savannah Region of Eastern Colombia
Acorn International completed a comprehensive ESIA for the above-referenced exploration program. The ESIA included defining guidelines and specifications for environmental and social management measures to be included in bidding documents and contracts with the selected seismic contractor and other exploration program contractors. The project area has multiple sensitivities, both environmental and social, namely: the Llanos Plain habitats, tropical rainforests, endemic species, UNESCO World Heritage Site and the numerous indigenous communities. Leveraging the local expertise of our in-country partner, we are also facilitating the permitting process with the local government authorities and completing a regulatory review for our client.
ESIA and Stakeholder Engagement Program for Offshore Exploration Program, Kenya
Acorn International and its in-country partner in Kenya performed and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for an offshore seismic survey covering the entire length of the coast of Kenya. Critical issues faced were evaluating impacts and developing mitigation measures related to fishing, marine mammals, and national marine protected areas. Our work included a series of meetings with dozens of officials from districts along the entire coast as well as with national government officials, NGOs, and fishermen groups to present the proposed activities and expected impacts, obtain information on their concerns to be addressed in the ESIA and establish a relationship of trust with these stakeholders. As part of our work on this project, we shared and reviewed World Bank / International Finance Corporation (IFC) and related guidelines on stakeholder engagement with our in-country partner to ensure the critical contact with local officials and other interested parties took advantage of our approach of integrating local know-how and international best practices.
ESIA for Offshore Drilling Program, Cote d’Ivoire
Acorn International performed a rapid but well-developed ESIA to help a US-based oil company plan and obtain country approvals for an offshore drilling program. Within the span of eight (8) weeks, we signed a contract, mobilized our lead consultant to work with our local partner in-country, met with and obtained a Terms of Reference from the environmental ministry, coordinated investigations, drilling program details and impact analysis, produced a high-quality EIA in French and English, and submitted the EIA for public review and approval. The EIA was prepared on a fast-track to prevent stand-by delays in the period that had been secured for the drill rig.
ESHIA and World Bank/Equator Bank Financing Process Guidance for a Large Oil and Gas Development Program on the Shore of the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan
Acorn International recently evaluated the environmental and social management requirements of project finance lenders (multilateral financial institutions, commercial banks, export credit agencies / trade development agencies and alternative financing vehicles) in comparison to a major oil company's internal procedures and standards. The products developed by Acorn International are being used by upper management in determining the optimal project financing options for a large oil and gas development project and how the differences between their internal procedures vs. bank requirements might impact project planning, Kazakhstan.
Environmental Impact Assessment for Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration Drilling adjacent to a National Marine Protected Area, Colombia
Acorn International and its in-country partner performed two separate Environmental
Impact Assessments (EIA) for oil and gas exploration drilling in adjacent blocks for an international oil and gas
company offshore the
Caribbean Coast of Colombia. In addition to the Impact Assessment, the Project Team conducted oil spill dispersion modeling and drilling fluid toxicity testing to accurately safeguard the nearby National Marine Protected Area. These Projects were awarded to Acorn International after the completion of the seismic survey and geotechnical study EIAs.
ESIA for an Offshore 2-D Seismic Survey Near a National Marine Protected Area, Colombia
Acorn International completed an ESIA for an offshore 2-D seismic survey for a major oil company near a National Marine Protected Area in Colombia. A risk assessment and user-friendly Environmental
Management Plan were also developed
to help the client and its contractors easily and consistently
apply the findings and recommendations of the EIA.
This assignment was completed in a very tight timeframe (2 months) and elicited very positive feedback from our client.
ESHIA Gap Assessment and Environmental Management Plan for a Major Natural Gas Facility, Nigeria
Acorn International recently completed a ESHIA Gap Assessment to determine the extent to which the regulatory-driven EIA met the clients internal ESHIA requirements. With the recommendations from the Gap Assessment, Acorn International then completed an ESHIA Environmental Management Plan that included actions required to fill the gaps.
EIA for an Offshore Oil Exploration Program Adjacent to a National
Marine Protected Area, Colombia
Acorn and its in-country partner performed two separate EIAs for an international oil and gas
company in advance of a 3-D seismic survey and geotechnical investigations offshore the
Caribbean Coast of Colombia. A user-friendly Environmental
Management Plan and Regulatory Register were also developed
to help the client and its contractors easily and consistently
apply the findings and recommendations of the EIA.
Impact significance and rating criteria from the EIA Assurance
module of EHSS AssuranceTM were used to ensure a world-class
quality and defensible basis for characterization of impacts
and recommendation of appropriate mitigation practices. This
was especially important due to the presence of a marine
protection zone, including islands, corals, and sea turtle
nesting/feeding habitat, near the exploration area.
Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) Facilitation for an Offshore Development Program, Angola
Acorn International is facilitating the ESHIA process for the development of a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility offshore Angola for a major oil company. Our work includes working with the project team to screen potential ESH impacts, determine what additional studies may be needed, identify ESH data gaps that need to be filled, define the scope of further studies, and oversee in-country contractors in performing these additional studies to meet corporate requirements as well as those of Angolan regulators.
Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) Facilitation for an Offshore Production Program, Angola and Republic of Congo
Acorn International is facilitating the ESHIA process for the installation of subsea production facilities and pipelines in an area that overlaps the disputed boundary waters of both Angola and the Republic of Congo. Our responsibility includes working with the project team to screen potential impacts, recommend and scope additional studies and oversee in-country contractors in performing these additional studies. Because the work is subject to regulatory requirements of both countries, a particular challenge of our work is to define and manage the differences in EIA requirements from Angola, Republic of Congo, and corporate policy.
Preparation of Templates for Environmental, Health and Social Impact Assessments
Acorn International prepared four templates for an Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) Process for a major international oil and gas company. The templates correspond with key deliverables required by the company’s five-step internal ESHIA Process and include templates for: Screening Report; Scoping Report; ESHIA Terms of Reference (TOR); and Mitigation Plan. When finalized, the templates will be used by company employees and contractors for projects of varying scope and purpose around the world. As such, Acorn designed templates that integrate best practices in report preparation and content, allow for user flexibility, account for variations in the level of detail and amount of information that may be available for a project, and recognize potential country-specific requirements, while also establishing a standardized format and meeting the company’s internal ESHIA Process requirements.
Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA)
Facilitation
Acorn was recently chosen as one of few outside firms to
be trained to serve as facilitators for a major oil company’s
Environmental, Social and Health impact Assessment (ESHIA)
process. Three of Acorn’s staff have been trained
to facilitate the company’s ESHIA process by leading
project teams of company personnel and contractors through
the Screening, Scoping, Impact Assessment, Stakeholder Engagement
and Management Plan processes on developing projects.
ESHIA Facilitation Training, South Asia
Acorn’s Principal was selected to lead ESHIA Facilitation
training sessions of Chevron company staff and contractors. A
four day training session was completed in Thailand in August
2007.
ESHIA Screening and Scoping for an On-Shore Oil and
Gas Facility Expansion, Kazakhstan
Acorn International completed ESHIA Screening and a Profile
Report for the expansion of a major oil and gas production
facility in Kazakhstan, and is in the process of completing
an ESHIA Scoping Document for the project. Working with the
major oil company’s ESHIA Coordinator and project team,
Acorn and its in-country partner have assessed the extent,
depth, and detail of existing baseline data in view of Company
ESHIA requirements as well as Kazakh EIA and permitting requirements.
The Scoping Document identifies additional studies required
and provides a Terms of Reference defining the scope, methods
and outputs of studies to be performed as well as suggested
team member qualifications and resources required to complete
the ESHIA.
Environmental Social and Heath Impact Assessment (ESHIA)
Screening and Scoping for a Major Coastal Oil and Gas Facility,
Nigeria
Acorn helped a major international oil and gas company to
help prepare a rapid screening-level EHSIA review for a proposed
development on a coastal site in Nigeria. Our principal worked
side-by-side with the company’s ESHIA coordinator and
consulted with the project team and other company experts
to perform a screening-level assessment and report. The work
resulted in a series of recommendations for the project to
avoid or minimize possible environmental, social and health
impacts and identified additional studies required to perform
a complete ESHIA.
Working together with the ESHIA Coordinator and company representatives,
we completed a draft report within one week of start-up.
We then integrated comments from the team and Company experts
into a final report. The report was used by the project team
to ensure that business decisions about initial project planning
and design took into consideration potentially significant
ESH impacts.
Independent Review, Panama Canal Expansion Program, Panama
Acorn
International, worked with its US partner ENTRIX, Inc, to
perform an independent review of socio-cultural impact considerations
for the EIA being performed for the Panama Canal Expansion
Project. The Panama Canal Authority required an independent
expert review for the US$5billion project, and the Authority
and its ESIA contractor, URS, selected Acorn International’s
principal and a senior technical director from ENTRIX to carry
out the review. Acorn’s work included visiting
the proposed work areas and surrounding areas, working closely
with the EIA team to provide input and suggestions, and delivering
comments/revisions to draft sections of the ESIA. The
work focused specifically on ensuring the Assessment satisfies
specific interests of the International Finance Corporation
(IFC) Environmental and Social Performance Standards and the
Equator Principals, as well as international best practices
for ESIA
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