| EnviroGulf Consulting |  |
|---|---|---|
INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANCY | ||
ABN 62 713 622 437 |
SITE MENU |
ELECTRIC HVDC TRANSMISSION INDUSTRY |
HVDC Electric Transmission Industry
The Principal of EnviroGulf Consulting has local and international experience of high voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnector projects with marine components, such as subsea HVDC, electrode and optic fibre cables and sea electrodes.
The Principal completed a 2-year assignment for the Basslink Project, which proposed an HVDC link between the Australian mainland (Victoria) and Tasmania. In support of the Basslink Project, the Principal carried out environmental reviews and site visits of existing HVDC interconnectors in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The monopole Basslink Interconnector with a metallic return cable is now in operation.
The Principal is also a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the Conseil International des Grands Réseaux Électriques (CIGRÉ)
EnviroGulf Consulting has compiled a list of world HVDC Projects with Marine Infrastructure, which shows existing and proposed HVDC interconnectors.
Consulting Services
EnviroGulf Consulting offers the following services to clients:
- Critical review of existing literature, reports and databases on marine environmental impacts of subsea HVDC projects and operating cables and sea electrodes.
- Calculation of magnetic fields generated under different power (MW) ratings.
- Calculation of electric fields generated / induced under different power (MW) ratings.
- Environmental impact assessment of construction phase including installation of underwater or subsea HVDC cables, optic fibre cables and marine electrodes and shore crossings.
- Environmental impact assessment of operating underwater or subsea HVDC cables, such as the physical effects of generated magnetic and thermal fields, generated and induced electric fields, and electrolysis products (e.g. residual chlorine) and residual impacts after mitigation on cetaceans, sharks and rays, bony fish, turtles and marine plants and invertebrates.
- Review of post-operation and decommissioning aspects of subsea HVDC cables and marine electrodes.
- Design, implementation and execution of marine surveys and/or monitoring programs to assess the marine impacts of subsea HVDC cables and/or electrode installation and operation.
- Marine ecotoxicological assessment of chlorine produced oxidants (CPOs) and halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) generated at the positive marine electrode (anode), including dilution-dispersion modelling, predictive toxicity assessment and contaminant pathway analysis.
- Project management for marine studies, including co-ordination of multidisciplinary teams, government and regulatory authority liaison, quality assurance and quality control.
- Environmental review: Environmental review and audit of existing environmental management systems (EMSs) and environmental troubleshooting.
- Environmental monitoring: Monitoring design, planning and implementation, baseline/inventory monitoring, compliance monitoring, sampling and analysis planning, biomonitoring and surveillance.
- Risk assessment: Preliminary risk assessment, hazard identification, dose-response and exposure assessment, risk characterisation, and ecological risk assessment.
- Information management: Data processing, statistical analysis, quality assurance/quality control.
- Peer review of EIA documents for other HVDC projects.
- Expert testimony on marine environmental impacts of constructing (installing) and operating HVDC interconnectors with subsea infrastructure.
EnviroGulf Consulting has access to electrical engineering consultants having a proven track record in providing cost-effective services to the electric industry. In addition, EnviroGulf Consulting has access to recognised specialist scientists on cetacean and shark biology and population dynamics, and who are familiar with electromagnetic impacts on the marine biological environment.
We have subconsultants who can undertake magnetic surveys of the marine environment in the vicinity of HVDC subsea cables operating under different power loadings, using a high resolution Caesium vapour, fast sampling (10Hz) marine magnetometer.
Relevant Experience
The Principal of EnviroGulf Consulting has carried out an intensive 2-year study and marine impact assessment of constructing and operating a subsea, monopolar HVDC interconnector with marine electrodes (plans for marine electrodes were subsequently withdrawn in favour of a metallic return cable). Work included:
- Bass Strait Marinus Link Project:
- Marine specialist consultant for, and in association with, Tetra Tech Coffey Pty Ltd who are currently providing environmental services to a feasibility study for a second HVDC cable across Bass Strait.
- Principal assessor of the impacts of electromagnetic fields on marine fauna of Bass Strait during operation of the HVDC cable.
- Basslink Project:
- Marine specialist consultant for, and in association with, NSR Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd who prepared the Draft Integrated Impact Assessment Statement (DIIAS) for the Basslink Project, June 2001.
- Principal author of the existing marine environment (Chapter 7) and marine impact assessment (Chapter 10) presented in the Basslink Project DIIAS, June 2001.
- Principal author of the marine impact assessment (Appendix E) presented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Supplement to the DIIAS for the Basslink Project, June 2002.
- Conducted international research and site visits to existing and proposed HVDC interconnectors in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and The Netherlands, October 2000.
- Expert Witness appearing on behalf of Basslink Pty Ltd at public hearings in Victoria and Tasmania.
- Conducted review report on the effects of ac electromagnetic fields on marine life for Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping Limited (UK).
Project Summary
- Bass Strait Marinus Link Project (2019 - ongoing) - Feasibility study assessment of physio-chemical and marine ecology impacts of constructing an HVDC cable across Bass Strait and the impacts of electromagnetic fields generated by operation of the cable on marina fauna, including invertebrates, fish and cetaceans (with Coffey Services Australia Pty Ltd for Tasmanian Networks Pty Ltd).
- Environmental Impact of Marine Electromagnetic Sounding (2003) - Assessment of the effects of underwater noise and ac electromagnetic fields on marine life (plants, invertebrates, fish, marine mammals, birds and sea turtles) from active electromagnetic (EM) sounding surveys (to Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping Limited, Aberdeen, UK.).
- Marine Impacts of AC Tone Generators (2003) - Assessment of the marine biological impacts of oscillating AC magnetic fields (and seawater-movement induced AC electric fields) generated by the use of 24-Hz AC Tone generators to locate, track and position subsea electric cables (to Enesar for Basslink Pty Ltd).
- Basslink Project (2000-2003) - Assessment of construction environmental impacts of HVDC cable installation and sea electrode emplacement and operational environmental impacts (underwater noise, electric fields, magnetic fields, chlorine-produced oxidants and halogenated organic compounds, and heat generation) on marine water quality, flora, fauna and marine resource use (with NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd for Basslink Pty. Ltd.).
- Basslink Project (2000) - Site visit to transmission system operators of proposed and existing subsea high voltage DC interconnectors in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and The Netherlands and assessment of environmental effects on the marine environment (with NSR for National Grid International Limited).
Please see the Principal's CV for more informastion.
