GAZ-SYSTEM’s environmental survey in the Gulf of Gdańsk
In preparation for the construction of the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) Terminal in the Gulf of Gdańsk, GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. conducted an extensive survey of the natural environment covering mostly the project area in the Gulf of Gdańsk and the coastal zone of Stogi Island.
- The survey campaign performed for the FSRU Program was the first such comprehensive action carried out in the Gulf of Gdańsk. Thorough understanding of wave and current conditions will serve to identify the best location and design of the future FSRU Terminal infrastructure and the breakwater" – said Sławomir Hinc, President of GAZ-SYSTEM, and added that
- The year-round inventory will allow optimised scheduling of the FSRU Terminal construction works to minimise the project's impact on the environment and ensure protection of valuable marine and terrestrial animal species, including birds.
The surveys conducted for the FSRU Offshore Project constituted part of the procedure leading to obtaining the decision on the environmental conditions (Environmental Permit) for this strategic investment project and were carried out in accordance with the EU Directive on Environmental Impact Assessment as amended in 2014.
The survey works lasted one and a half years (June 2022 to February 2024) to capture all seasons and covered a wide range of animate and inanimate nature elements at sea and on land.
Special care will be exercised during fieldwork associated with the FSRU Terminal implementation, both onshore (especially in the wetlands) and in the waters of the Gulf of Gdańsk. Breeding seasons and breeding sites of valuable species will be taken into account. The Company will provide continual environmental monitoring both during the Terminal construction and operation.
Investigating metocean and water conditions in the Gulf of Gdańsk
Metocean conditions in the area were continuously recorded by on-site devices placed on a measurement buoy and three Acoustic Wave and Current Profilers (AWAC). The equipment provided information about such parameters of the water as temperature, underwater noise, currents and waves, salinity, oxygen content, and optical properties.
Surveys of flora and fauna in the project area
Nine survey vessels were employed to investigate the geological conditions, physical and chemical properties of the seawater as well plant and animal habitat status.
The vessels utilised a variety of methods and deployed advanced measuring equipment. Thanks to acoustic monitoring with F-PODs, automated ultrasonic data recorders operating in the 20-160 kHz range, the presence of, among others, harbour porpoises was detected in the Bay of Puck.
The behaviour of bats, which can migrate over open waters especially in spring and autumn, was also closely studied in the area. These mammals are most active at night and are difficult to locate and identify. In order to solve this difficulty, the survey equipment aboard the vessels included Song Meter Mini Bat, an acoustic monitoring detector capable of capturing ultrasounds (inaudible to humans) emitted by and specific to individual bat species.
Presence of 20 mammal species was observed throughout the land-based survey period.
Bird observations were conducted both from aboard vessels and from land. The total of 12 monitoring rounds took place during the year. They covered 54 days, including 12 days of cruises and 40 days of shore counts.
The FSRU Terminal construction project assumes locating one Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) in the Gulf of Gdańsk. It will allow LNG unloading, process storage and regasification and will also be adapted to provide additional services.
The project is being implemented with the support from EU funds. In November 2023, the European Commission considered the onshore gas pipelines, planned for construction as part of the FSRU Terminal, eligible for loans under the National Recovery Plan (NRP) in the REPowerEU sub-component G3.2 – Improving energy infrastructure and facilities to meet immediate security of supply needs for gas.
Under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the European Commission awarded a grant for the action: "Pre-investment works to obtain a construction permit for the offshore part of PCI 6.27 LNG Gdańsk (PL)". The maximum amount of the awarded support is approx. EUR 19.6 million.
For more information on the FSRU project see:
https://www.gaz-system.pl/en/transmission-system/investment-projects/fsru-terminal.html