The methodology used for Impact Assessment (IA) follows the HEMP (Hazards and Effects Management Process) outlined below:

 

The first step in this process is the stakeholder identification and the construction of the stakeholder footprints, which identifies the key issues of concern to each stakeholder group. Following this, the project elements and activities are translated into potential sources of effects (or potential hazards). In NLNGPlus, these are:

 

(a) the need for resources, such as space, assets and labour, and
(b) discharges to the environment, such as emissions to the atmosphere, liquid and solid wastes, light and noise.

 

 

 

Potential interactions between the project and the environment are rated according to their nature and significance, so that each can be evaluated in terms of its likelihood, consequence and magnitude. This is described as the impact rating, which has four overall levels: negligible, minor, significant and major.

 

The next step in the IA is to provide mitigation measures designed to prevent or reduce the significance of identified impacts. Two types of mitigation measures are employed: preventative/repressive measures, which completely avoid or minimise the impact, and curative/compensative measures which either restore affected areas or provide payment in kind or in cash. The objective of all mitigation measures is to reduce the significance of any identified impacts to a low and acceptable level.

 

Consultation with local communities and other stakeholders is a key feature of NLNG's corporate policy and was an inherent part of the impact assessment process. The aim was to gather information on issues, concerns and successes by dialogue with the local communities and other stakeholders. NLNG strive to work closely with the stakeholders to identify methods of addressing any negative impacts and to maximise the positive. This has allowed the Company to maintain good public relations in the areas of operation, and in the context of the NLNGPlus project has helped to give a focus to the ESHA itself. The identification of stakeholders was undertaken from the commencement of the project and initially involved an internal process where a preliminary list of stakeholders was drawn up, based on the Company's experience, to assist in focussing the initial phases of the work.

 

The consultation programme was set up prior to baseline data gathering to ensure that stakeholders were involved from onset and duly informed on progress of the works, and that the concerns (issues) raised by the stakeholders, with regard to the NLNGPlus project works, could be identified and addressed. The issues were fed back into the ESHA process and tied into environmental and social sensitivities that were used in the description of potential impacts.