Abstract
An integrated seabed macrobenthic and chemical monitoring programme has been carried out in Sullom Voe under the direction of the Shetland Oil Terminal Environmental Advisory Group (SOTEAG) to assess the impact of the development and operation of a North Sea crude oil handling terminal. The data have been collected annually since 1978 and have defined the variability within the system for macrobenthos and sediment parameters, including grain size, organic content and hydrocarbon contamination. Sullom Voe supports a diverse fauna but localised changes have occurred around areas of chronic input. However, the environmental impact of the Sullom Voe terminal which handles approximately 45% of North Sea oil has been minimal. At Station 1 in the inner basin biological differences have been recorded since baseline studies were undertaken. These differences are attributed to the partial deoxygenation of deep water during many summers. In 1985, inner Voe aliphatic concentrations were much higher than previous years and results suggest resuspended ‘Esso Bernicia’ fuel oil could be contributing to elevated concentrations although there are several other minor sources to be considered. Communities have shown little change around the main loading jetties with the exception of a single station at the mouth of Garths Voe. Disturbed communities have been recorded in Garths Voe near the tug jetty since 1979. Movement of sediment, elevated hydrocarbon concentrations near the jetty and sewage coming into the Voe via three burns have probably all contributed to this disturbance. In Orka Voe, east of the production and ballast water diffuser, high densities of opportunistic species were recorded in 1983 and 1984 coupled with elevated hydrocarbon concentrations in the sediments. There are many possible sources of this contamination. In 1985 there was a substantial reduction of indicator species suggesting the communities are under less stress than previous years but this can only be confirmed in future surveys.
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© 1987 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht
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Westwood, S.S.C., Little, D.I., Dodd, N.M., Howells, S.E. (1987). Biological and Chemical Monitoring of Seabed Sediments at the Sullom Voe North Sea Terminal — a Synthesis of Data for the Period 1978–1985. In: Kuiper, J., Van Den Brink, W.J. (eds) Fate and Effects of Oil in Marine Ecosystems. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3573-0_26
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3573-0_26
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