ARCHIVED – Open House Summary Notes – 20 January 2011

Arctic Offshore Drilling Review

Open House Summary Notes

Date and Location

Date	Location
Thursday 20 January 2011 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.	Ingamo Hall Inuvik, NT

Purpose: Introduce the Arctic Offshore Drilling Review to the residents of Inuvik

Participants

Participants
Residents of Inuvik Doug Esogak Steve Baryluk
Gaétan Caron	Chair and Chief Executive Officer, NEB
David Hamilton	Member, NEB
Brian Chambers	Northern Advisor, NEB
Bharat Dixit	Technical Leader, Conservation of Resources, NEB
Pamela Romanchuk	Environmental Specialist, NEB
Susan Gudgeon	Northern Coordinator, Arctic Offshore Drilling Review, NEB

Introductory Remarks (NEB):

• An overview of the Arctic Offshore Drilling Review was provided, including the mandate of the NEB, a description of the Review and the events leading up to the Review.
• The question was posed asking "what do you want to see answered before the NEB looks at an application for offshore drilling?"

Dialogue with residents of Inuvik:

In response to the question put forward to the residents of Inuvik, a number of areas of interest and concern were raised, including:

1. Emergency Response and Preparedness:
   
   
   • Is a blow out preventer mandatory – do the Drilling and Production Regulations say that?
   • How will people get trained to respond?
   • How will people get to a blow out in the Beaufort?
     
2. General:
   
   
   • How do people know their questions will be answered?
   • How long is Phase 1?
   • Will we be able to see the Report?
   • Has the technology of a drill ship been used before?
   • What are the benefits to local people?
   • If the benefits are not there, why risk drilling?
   • Do companies know what they are talking about? Should look to traditional knowledge when it comes to deep water
   • How does a company make a case when applying to drill?
   • What does an exploration licence mean and how much time do companies have under the licences – do exploration licences expire after a certain number of years?
   • What amounts have been spent and loal people hired in the last 5 years for seismic work?
   • Will there be any jobs for local people if offshore work goes ahead?
   • Whose responsibility is it to look at other ships/storage coming into the area?
   • Once things leave NEB jurisdiction others may not know of and consider concerns
   • How do we know contractors will also follow requirements
   • What is the level/threshold for cumulative effects – where do you draw the line – there could be 50 applications
   • What learnings will be taken from the Gulf (how many kicks before shutting down)?
   • Will there be specific seasons when drilling can happen?
   • NEB has to be involved to give recommendations some teeth
   • If there is an accident, how does compensation work – entire livelihood could be wiped out?
     
3. Inspections and Monitors:
   
   
   • Environmental and wildlife monitors may be afraid to speak out – may get fired if they do
   • Will NEB be on site 24/7?
   • Recommendations have to have some backbone (wildlife monitors being comfortable to speak up/shut down operations)
     
4. Unique Arctic Environment and Currents:
   
   
   • How can the recovery take place in the different temperatures – it is different here than in the Gulf
   • Has any testing been done on oil under the ice in the Arctic? How far offshore has testing been done?
   • What extent should drilling be restricted because of ice?
     
     
5. Value of Resources:
   
   
   • Need to protect the animals and the land
   • One accident could wipe out the beluga for one generation or more

Concluding Remarks and Follow-up Matters:

• NEB is available to assist residents of Inuvik with the process to prepare for Phase 2 of the Review and be comfortable to come to the table