Macrozoobenthic assemblages around a marine terminal for re-gasifying liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the north Adriatic Sea (Italy)

Abstract

The first offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Italy and the first gravity based structure (GBS) in the world for unloading, storing and re-gasifying liquefied natural gas, was authorized and realized. The Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA, formerly ICRAM) formulated and implemented a multidisciplinary monitoring plan at verifying possible impacts of the project on marine environment. Data from June 2006 to July 2012 on the soft-bottom macrozoobenthic assemblages around the LNG terminal are presented, with the aim of verifying possible disturbances on these assemblages associated with the LNG terminal, by comparing the structure of the benthic communities before and after installation of the terminal, and during its operation. Well-structured assemblages were observed for the entire period investigated, with all taxa normally represented both quantitatively and qualitatively. A temporary disturbance due to the construction of the LNG terminal was detected in the surrounding sediments, while the presence of the concrete structure did not show significant effects at the investigated distances.

Disinfection By-Products (DBPs) in Seawaters, Sediments and Biota near a Marine Terminal for Regasifying Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy)

“…Grain-size composition of sediments near the LNG terminal were quite heterogeneous, even if they were all sandy, varying from very coarse sand in the nearest sites to silt fraction ranging 44-22 µm at 200-500 m away from the terminal. Control sediment grain size was very different from the other sites, with homogenous medium sand in all samples and surveys [1]. These differences in grain-size composition may explain higher accumulation of DBAA and MCAA at sites placed 350-1000 m away from the terminal.…”

“…The regasification liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals play a strategic role for supplying gas [1]. During the regasification process seawater is used, and usually, to prevent growing of encrusting organisms on the circuits, withdrawn seawater is treated with sodium hypochlorite as antifouling agent.…”

“…In 2009, the first Italian offshore LNG terminal, located approximately 12 km from the coast of Italy in the Northern Adriatic Sea, started its operation phase [1,8]. Even if the active chlorine concentration in the discharged seawaters is within limits set by Italian regulations (0.2 mg/L), to verify the environmental presence of DBPs on the ecosystem, a specific monitoring program was scheduled from 2010 to 2015.…”

“…Even if the active chlorine concentration in the discharged seawaters is within limits set by Italian regulations (0.2 mg/L), to verify the environmental presence of DBPs on the ecosystem, a specific monitoring program was scheduled from 2010 to 2015. Besides that, a multidisciplinary monitoring plan was also designed and implemented, to verify the possible impact on marine environment associated with the whole project [1,[8][9][10].…”

"Ecological Note about the Impact on the Claudia VirnoMarine Ecosystem of an Underwater Pipeline for the Transport of Natural Gas"

“…The aim of the environmental monitoring plan was to study the possible effects and the impacts on the marine environment of the antropogenic activities, through the application of an integrated approach (chemical, physical, ecological and ecotoxicological ones), involving all the potentially impactful environmental matrices: water column, sediments and biota [1,2]. In particular, with regard to impacts attributable to the offshore pipeline, the subtraction and temporary modification of soft-bottom macrozoobenthic community in the bottom strip along the pipeline route was taken into account [3,4]. The connection's pipeline to the national distribution network consists of an off-shore section, approximately 15km long (from the offshore LNG regasification terminal to the coast), and an on-shore section, approximately 25km long [5][6][7].…”