Marine mammal observers
Our industry and the planet
The oil and gas industry believes that species protection and economic development has to coexist and looks to utilising a balanced, protective, risk-based approach that ensures care of the oceans for all interests.
The oil and gas industry recognises the environment that we all work in and our responsibility to maintain and improve it, and set that example for future generations. This is not just an industry attitude, but one that is held by all the individuals working in this industry.
The oil and gas industry is proactive in its attitude toward the environment and provides exceptional example of good stewardship by:
· Sponsor and develop accurate scientific evidence of the effects of our industry activities on the oceans.
· Continue to seek full scientific understanding of the impacts of our operations on marine life.
· Implement mitigation measures that minimise our contribution to ocean noise
· Recognise critical activities of ocean species such as breeding, calving, nursing and resting.
· Research and respond to knowledge regarding unique areas for specific activities of certain species for which there are no alternate areas
· Respect marine mammals migration routes or corridors and understand that alternate routes or corridors may not exist or possibly represent substantially greater physical effort to those mammals.
Marine scientific observers
Benchmark provides well qualified and experienced “MMOs”.
Marine Mammal Observers (MMOs) has become a ‘catch all’ description of exceptionally talented, well qualified and diversely capable persons who have come into the oil and gas industry as a result of the initiatives that have been taken to continue to seek full scientific understanding of the impacts of our operations on marine life and develop accurate scientific evidence of the effects of our industry activities on the oceans. Because of their belief in the stated attitude of the oil and gas industry and because they want to contribute to the knowledge about our planet and safeguarding the diversity of its flora and fauna, they spend long periods at sea cataloguing sightings of sea birds, birds at sea, turtles, mammals and all other forms of life in the seas including the minute algae that provide luminescence.
Many MMOs also participate in the scientific research that is sponsored by the oil and gas industry, gaining knowledge and experience of the habits, physiology, biology and communications of sea creatures away from oil and gas industry activities.
Not only are many MMO’s university graduates of considerable standing, but many are also accomplished divers, small boat handlers, photographers and other very practical skills, the knowledge of which are most appropriate in geophysical operations.
The speciality knowledge of MMOs coupled with their growing experience of geophysical activities enables them to provide excellent support to both oil and gas companies and to the geophysical contractors who carry out work on their behalf; in the common goal of preserving our planet. The oil and gas industry trade association, the OGP, and the geophysical contractors industry trade association, the IAGC, have lead industry efforts and supported bodies such as the JNCC in promoting standards to guide the involvement of MMOs in the industry’s activities.
