Canada: Public comment period open for Nexen’s Flemish Pass drilling project

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) has invited the public to comment on potential environmental effects of the proposed Nexen Energy’s Flemish Pass offshore exploration drilling project.

The CEAA said on Wednesday that it invited the public and indigenous groups to comment on the potential environmental effects of the project and the proposed measures to prevent or mitigate those effects, as described in the environmental impact statement (EIS).

The agency added that all received comments would be considered public and should be submitted by May 4.

As a next step, the agency will prepare the draft of an environmental assessment report and the potential environmental assessment conditions for the project.

The public will be invited to comment on these documents during a final public comment period on this project.

It is worth reminding that, in November 2017, CEAA allocated $206,880 in federal funds to 11 recipients to assist with the environmental assessment of Nexen Energy’s Flemish Pass exploration drilling project.

Flemish Pass drilling project

The project, located over 400 kilometers east of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in an area known as the Flemish Pass, entails exploration drilling within two offshore licenses over an 11-year period starting in 2018.

Nexen’s current offshore interests in Atlantic Canada include two existing Exploration Licences (ELs) off Eastern Newfoundland (EL 1144 and EL 1150) which were issued by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) effective January 15, 2015, and January 15, 2016, respectively. Nexen is currently the sole interest holder in EL 1144 and EL 1150.

The company plans to drill between one and possibly up to five wells on each of these ELs.