Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the North of Egypt A Case Study: Natural Gas Treatment Plant west of Port Said

Abstract

Coastal resource systems are valuable natural endowments that need to be managed for present and future generations. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) promotes sustainable coastal development by adapting the use of natural resources in a way that avoids serious damage to the natural environment. ICZM seeks, over the long-term, to balance environmental, economic, social, cultural and recreational objectives, all within the limits set by natural dynamics. It aims to address the problems or issues that exist and exacerbate in the coastal zone including marine resource exploitation, pollution of estuarine and coastal waters, climate change and sea level rise, and coastal erosion. Accelerated erosion and deposition is the major concern problem in the Egyptian northern coasts induced basically by the over-development of the coastal areas and the improperly designed projects. These rapid and uncontrolled coastal developments for establishment and growth of industry, resource extraction, tourism and urbanization, involve harbors, recreational centers, protective structures, estuaries, and lagoon inlets.At the northeastern coast of Egypt, precisely 12 km to the west of Port Said city, it is intended to construct a new natural gas treatment plant. Because of the available area is limited, it was decided to establish the flare stacks inside the sea. The flare stacks and the pipe racks will be connected to the plant through two causeways. Meanwhile, another marine structure, a temporary cofferdam, will be constructed for the purpose of installing gas pipelines under seabed extending from gas well located offshore to the onshore area where the new treatment plant exists. This research discusses shoreline evolution in the project area due to the construction of the causeways and the temporary cofferdam into the sea. Three methods had been followed to fulfill the aim of the current research: the numerical approach (using one-line LITPACK model) ; shoreline monitoring program; and shoreline verification using satellite images.