An environmental impact assessment published in November 2011 is the latest study to declare EM surveying environmentally benign, reported EMGS, a Norwegian electromagnetic survey specialist on its website. The environmental impact assessment commissioned by the International Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC) concludes that EM sources, as currently used, have no potential for significant effects on animal groups such as fish, seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals.
It also states that the cumulative effects from EM surveys are negligible compared with natural EM anomalies, induced fields from natural water currents and anthropogenic EM sources such as those originating from undersea equipment.
The assessment was funded by the member companies of the IAGC EM subcommittee and prepared by LGL Ltd environmental research associates.
[mappress] Offshore Energy Today Staff, December 15, 2011; Image: EMGS