CONTENTS

1....... Introduction. 1

1.1        Background. 1

1.2        Objectives of the Location Plan. 1

2....... Indicative Works Areas and Boundaries of the Project. 3

2.1        The LPS Pipeline. 3

2.2        The GRS.. 3

3....... Locations of key environmental mitigation measures. 4

 

Annexes

Annex A         Overall LPS Pipeline Route

Annex B         Indicative Works Areas for the LPS Pipeline

Annex C        Vertical and Horizontal Alignments of the LPS Pipeline

Annex D        Indicative Works Areas for the GRS at LPS

 

List of Tables

Table 3.1       Locations of Key Environmental Mitigation Measures. 4

Table 3.2       Summary of Dredging and Jetting Operation and Mitigation Measure for Pipeline Construction Works. 6

 

List of Figures

Figure 1.1      Indicative Location of Key Project Components

 


1.                  Introduction

1.1             Background

To support the increased use of natural gas in Hong Kong from 2020 onwards, Castle Peak Power Company Limited (CAPCO) and The Hongkong Electric Company, Limited (HK Electric) have identified that the development of an offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal in Hong Kong using Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) technology (‘the Hong Kong Offshore LNG Terminal Project’) presents a viable additional gas supply option that will provide energy security through access to competitive gas supplies from world markets.  The Hong Kong Offshore LNG Terminal Project will involve the construction and operation of an offshore LNG import facility to be located in the southern waters of Hong Kong, a double berth jetty, and subsea pipelines that connect to the gas receiving stations (GRS) at the Black Point Power Station (BPPS) and the Lamma Power Station (LPS).

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report for the Hong Kong Offshore LNG Terminal Project was submitted to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in May 2018. The EIA Report (EIAO Register No. AEIAR-218/2018) was approved by EPD and the associated Environmental Permit (EP) (EP-558/2018) was issued in October 2018.  An application for Further Environmental Permits (FEP) were made on 24 December 2019 to demarcate the works between the different parties.  The following FEPs were issued on 17 January 2020:

§  the double berth jetty at LNG Terminal under the Hong Kong LNG Terminal Limited, joint venture between CAPCO and HK Electric (FEP-01/558/2018/A) ([1]);

§  the subsea gas pipeline for the BPPS and the associated GRS in the BPPS under CAPCO (FEP-03/558/2018/A) ([2]); and

§  the subsea gas pipeline for the LPS and the associated GRS in the LPS under HK Electric (FEP-02/558/2018/A) ([3]). 

The location plan for the works associated with the subsea gas pipeline for LPS and the associated GRS in LPS (‘the Project’) is provided in Figure 1.1.

1.2             Objectives of the Location Plan

This Location Plan for the Project has been prepared in accordance with Condition 2.6 of the Further Environmental Permit FEP-02/558/2018/A.

FEP No. FEP-02/558/2018/A, Condition 2.6:

“The Permit Holder shall, no later than 1 month before the commencement of construction of the Project, deposit with the Director 3 hard copies and 1 electronic copy of a location plan of the Project with a scale of 1:1000 or other appropriate scale as agreed with the Director. The location plan shall include but not limited to the details of the works areas and boundaries, vertical and horizontal alignments of the subsea pipeline, and locations of the key environmental mitigation measures. The Project shall be constructed in accordance with the information as contained in the deposited location plan.”

The key objectives of this Location Plan are to:

§  include the details of the works areas and boundaries, vertical and horizontal alignments of the subsea pipeline; and

§  include locations of the key environmental mitigation measures.

The Location Plan will be reviewed and updated as appropriate, throughout the course of the construction works to confirm that it remains current with the latest detailed information and works practice.

2.                  Indicative Works Areas and Boundaries of the Project

The Project contains the following key facilities:

§  A subsea gas pipeline connecting the LNG Terminal with the LPS (‘the LPS Pipeline’); and

§  A GRS located entirely within the LPS.

2.1             The LPS Pipeline

The proposed LPS Pipeline will connect the LNG Terminal with the GRS at the LPS and is approximately 20 inches (20”) in diameter and 18km in length.  It is located entirely within HKSAR waters.

The LPS Pipeline route departs the LNG Terminal and heads north passing between the eastern boundary of the proposed South Lantau Marine Park (SLMP) and the western boundary of the Sediment Disposal Area.

Thereafter, the LPS Pipeline route turns eastwards and runs between the southern boundary of the South Cheung Chau Traffic Separation Scheme and the northern boundary of the Sediment Disposal Area.

The LPS Pipeline then continues to run eastwards and, en route, crosses two (2) existing subsea cables to the north of the HK Electric proposed wind farm in southwest Lamma.

It is proposed that the LPS Pipeline will tie-in to an existing pipeline located approximately 1km from the LPS landfall point adjacent to the existing Dapeng Pipeline.

The overall LPS Pipeline route is shown in Annex A.  The indicative works areas for the LPS Pipeline, taking into account the installation vessels and supporting vessels (e.g. tug boat, cargo barge, flat top barge for storage, etc.), silt curtain installation ([4]), anchor arrangement and vessel logistics, are shown in Annex B.  The works areas will not encroach onto the proposed South Lantau Marine Park.  The vertical and horizontal alignments of the LPS Pipeline are shown in Annex C.

2.2             The GRS

The proposed location for the new GRS at the LPS is within the existing boundary of the LPS southern platform extension site.  The land area has been used for material storage, and there are no other facilities or utilities within this land area.  The indicative works area is shown in Annex D


 

3.                  Locations of key environmental mitigation measures

The recommended key environmental mitigation measures and the associated locations specified, as appropriate, are summarised in Table 3.1Other mitigation measures relevant to the Project will also be implemented in accordance with the Implementation Schedule detailed in Annex A of the Updated EM&A Manual.

Table 3.1      Locations of Key Environmental Mitigation Measures

Location

Key Environmental Mitigation Measures

Marine waters in Hong Kong

§   No working vessels for construction of the Project shall enter into, transit through, stop over or anchor within the existing marine parks including Southwest Lantau Marine Park and the proposed South Lantau Marine Park, unless otherwise agreed by the Director of Environmental Protection.

§   The vessel operators of this Project will be required to use predefined and regular routes (that do not encroach into existing and proposed marine parks), make use of designated fairways to access the works areas, and would avoid traversing sensitive habitats such as existing and proposed marine parks.  Predefined and regular routes will become known to Finless Porpoise (FP) and Chinese White Dolphin (CWD) using these waters.  This measure will further serve to minimise disturbance to marine mammals due to vessel movements.

§   The working vessels for construction of the Project shall not be operated at a speed higher than 10 knots when moving within the areas frequented by CWD or FP, including the waters near Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park, the waters at the west of Lantau Island and the waters between Soko Islands and Shek Kwu Chau.

§   The working vessels shall be equipped with tracking devices to record their operating speeds and marine travel routes during construction of the Project.  The records shall be submitted weekly to the Environmental Team (ET) Leader and Independent Environmental Checker (IEC) for review of the acceptability of operating speeds and marine travel routes.

§   All vessels must have a clean ballast system.

§  All vessels should be well maintained and inspected before use to limit any potential discharges to the marine environment.

Existing marine parks, proposed South Lantau Marine Park

§   Any anchoring/ anchor spread requirements during Project construction will avoid encroachment into the existing and proposed marine parks.

§   No stopping over or anchoring activity of vessels related to the Project should be conducted within existing and proposed marine parks even before, during and after typhoon.

LPS Pipeline between the LNG Terminal and South of Shek Kwu Chau (LPS KP0.0 – KP5.0)

§   Pipeline dredging/ jetting works will be restricted to a daily maximum of 12 hours with daylight (0700 – 1900) operations.

LPS Pipeline between Double Berth Jetty and South of Shek Kwu Chau (LPS KP0.1 – KP5.0)

§   Double Layer silt curtain shall be deployed at the eastern boundary of the proposed South Lantau Marine Park.

Areas with dredging / jetting works

§   Adoption of appropriate dredging and jetting rate, plant numbers and silt curtains at the plant and water sensitive receivers in accordance with Table A.2 of the Updated EM&A Manual, reprovided in Table 3.2 below.

§   No more than one jetting machine will be used for construction of the subsea gas pipeline.

§   Silt curtain shall be formed and installed in such a way that tidal rise and fall are accommodated, with the silt curtain always extending from the surface to the bottom of the water column and held with anchor blocks.

§   Silt curtain shall be inspected regularly to check that they are moored and marked to avoid danger to marine traffic, and any damage to the silt curtain shall be repaired promptly.

§   Dredged marine mud will be disposed of in a gazetted marine disposal area in accordance with the Dumping at Sea Ordinance (DASO) permit conditions.

§   Dredgers will maintain adequate clearance between vessels and the seabed at all states of the tide and reduce operations speed to ensure that excessive turbidity is not generated by turbulence from vessel movement or propeller wash.

§   Marine works shall not cause foam, oil, grease, litter or other objectionable matter to be present in the water within and adjacent to the works site.  Wastewater from potentially contaminated area on working vessels should be minimised and controlled.  These kinds of wastewater should be brought back to port and discharged at appropriate collection and treatment system.

§   No soil waste is allowed to be disposed overboard.

§   Implementation of a marine mammal exclusion zone of not less than 250 m radius from the dredging and jetting works.

§   No dredging or jetting works will be carried until the marine mammal exclusion zone is confirmed by an experienced marine mammal observer as clear of marine mammals for 30 minutes continuously.

§   Use of passive acoustic monitoring device shall be explored to assist the marine mammal observer to monitor and detect the marine mammals.

GRS at LPS

§   Silt removal facilities such as silt traps or sedimentation facilities will be provided to remove silt particles from runoff to meet the requirements of the TM standard under the WPCO. All drainage facilities and erosion and sediment control structures will be inspected on a regular basis and maintained to confirm proper and efficient operation at all times and particularly during rainstorms. Deposited silt and grit will be removed regularly.

§   Earthworks to form the final surfaces will be followed up with surface protection and drainage works to prevent erosion caused by rainstorms.

§   Oil interceptors will be provided in the drainage system where necessary and regularly emptied to prevent the release of oil and grease into the storm water drainage system after accidental spillages.

§   Temporary and permanent drainage pipes and culverts provided to facilitate runoff discharge, if any, will be adequately designed for the controlled release of storm flows.

§   The temporary diverted drainage, if any, will be reinstated to the original condition when the construction work has finished or when the temporary diversion is no longer required.

§   Appropriate numbers of portable (temporary) toilets shall be provided by a licensed contractor to serve the construction workers over the construction site to prevent direct disposal of sewage into the water environment. No onsite discharge from these chemical (temporary) toilets would be allowed.

§   Pre-construction and construction period for the GRS at the LPS should be reduced as far as practical to lower visual impact.

 

 

Table 3.2      Summary of Dredging and Jetting Operation and Mitigation Measure for Pipeline Construction Works

Work Location

Types and No. of Plant Involved

Allowed Maximum Work Rate

Silt Curtain at Plants

Silt Curtain at Water Sensitive Receivers (WSRs)

Other Measures

Existing pipeline end section east of

LPS pipeline

(LPS KP17.3-17.4)

1 MFE Machine

1,000m day-1 for 24 hours each day

Yes

Not required

 

West Lamma Channel

(LPS KP14.5-17.4)

1 Jetting Machine

1,000m day-1 for 24 hours each day

Yes

Not required

 

South of Shek Kwu Chau to West Lamma Channel (LPS KP5.0-14.5)

1 Jetting Machine

7,000m day-1 for 24 hours each day

Yes

Not required

 

Double Berth Jetty to South of Shek Kwu Chau

(LPS KP0.1-5.0)

1 Jetting Machine

720m day-1 for 24 hours each day

Yes

Two layers at Eastern Boundary of the Proposed South Lantau Marine Park (KP0.1-5.0)

Daily maximum of 12 hours with daylight (0700 – 1900)

Pipeline Riser

(LPS KP0.0-0.1)

1 Grab Dredger

8,000m3 day-1 for 24 hours each day

Yes

Not required

Daily maximum of 12 hours with daylight (0700 – 1900)

 


 



([1])     Application for variation of an environmental permit for FEP-01/558/2018 was undertaken and the latest FEP (FEP-01/558/2018/A) was issued on 6 November 2020. 

([2])     Application for variation of an environmental permit for FEP-03/558/2018 was undertaken and the latest FEP (FEP-03/558/2018/A) was issued on 22 January 2021. 

([3])     Application for variation of an environmental permit for FEP-02/558/2018 was undertaken and the latest FEP (FEP-02/558/2018/A) was issued on 22 December 2020.

([4])           The location of double layer silt curtain is indicative and the actual extent of the double layer silt curtain is dependent on the location of the jetting works, following the requirements stated in Table A.2 of the Updated EM&A Manual.   The length of the double layer silt curtain deployed at the active jetting location will be determined considering the findings of the EIA Report, the potential impact to existing marine traffic for review by the Marine Department and the performance of the pilot test upon agreement with the Environmental Team and the Independent Environmental Checker.