The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MAGRAMA) has issued the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in favor of “Project drilling exploratory wells in the licenses to prospect for hydrocarbons Canary 1-9”.
These research surveys have been carried out using a dynamic positioning vessel at a distance of about 60 kilometers from the coast and Canary and have involved the taking of samples of rock or fluids to detect the possible existence of hydrocarbons in the area.
The project that has been assessed at this stage does not imply any oil extraction. If the developer would like to develop that activity in the future, they must submit a new draft to be submitted to a new Environmental Assessment process also open to public participation.
In the EIS, a number of predicted impacts are identified during the conduct of the survey and preventive and corrective measures for such impacts are included. So, after a thorough analysis of the environmental effects of the project, control measures have been established.
The EIS includes, among others, corrective measures to ensure no effects on the Natura 2000 network and the sites proposed as Sites of marine Community Importance (SCI).
The Declaration of Environmental Impact Assessment concluded that no significant adverse impacts will occur whenever the corrective actions are taken by the developer.
The environmental assessment of the project has involved a multidisciplinary team that has applied rigorous scientific knowledge to determine the most appropriate measures for the project to be carried out with maximum environmental safeguards.
In addition, the Environmental Impact Statement as a preventive measure includes a risk analysis that studies the possibility of hypothetical accidental events, which should be considered by the decision-making body (Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism) in the process of final approval of “Canarias 1-9” project.
Press Release, May 30, 2014