Problem 4.

In a quest to lower petrol prices in Darwin, the NT Government proposes to subsidise the building of an oil refinery on Channel Island in Darwin Harbour. The So-Clean Oil & Petroleum Company has put in a bid for this project. Under their plan, ships would anchor near the island and the oil would be pumped along a short submarine pipeline to the refinery. Products would be exported by truck along the road. The construction of the refinery would, obviously, initially cause some disturbance to the terrestrial environment on the island. The only effect on the nearby marine ecosystems (much of the island is fringed by mangroves and there are extensive coral reefs between the island and the mainland) during the construction phase, which is planned for the dry season, would be from some sediment laden run-off.

Once the refinery is operating, ships will be entering the harbour and anchoring near the island to offload oil, then leaving. Tanker trucks will travel to and fro along the road to the island collecting and distributing products. The access road already exists but would need to be upgraded for heavier vehicles and more frequent traffic.

Describe and discuss the following:

a) The specific issues which should be considered in an Environmental Impact Statement (the EIS is the key document in the review process to decide whether the project proceeds). Refer to Figure 1.1 in the Study Guide for an outline of issues.

b) The Environmental Monitoring Programs which should be set up to monitor the operation of the refinery once it is operating normally.

In your answer, consider both the marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

Figure 3: Map of Darwin Harbour showing location of Channel Island and other relevant features. The location of significant reefs near the island are indicated. Most of the shoreline of  Darwin Harbour is lined by extensive mangrove forest. The road access route also passes through terrestrial forest.