Background

The client intended to exploit coal bed methane (CBM) in northern China. Prior to full operation, drilling of seven evaluation wells were planned in the block and trial operation would be conducted in three of these wells. Two dimensional seismic prospecting will also be conducted in the block. Greenment was commissioned to conduct an Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (EHSIA) for this project. 

Scope

ESHIA is a formal and systematic process whereby a project's potential environmental, social and health impacts are identified and assessed for their significance, which is a combination of "impact intensity" and "receptor sensitivity", and hence indicate the need for mitigation and management of identified impacts. The ESHIA process includes the following key steps:

Scoping: High level project assessment that determines the required scope and identifies the key issues to be examined during the ESHIA process;

Project Descriptions: Description of the project design, key components and timeline;

Base Descriptions: Descriptions of existing environmental, social and health conditions within the project's "area of influence" (as determined during Scoping) based on literature research and field surveys;

Impact Assessment: Analysis of project-related potential environmental, social and health impacts including trans-boundary and cumulative impacts and their subsequent significance ranking;

Mitigation and Residual Impacts: Description of additional mitigation measures required to reduce significant impacts to an acceptable level and the subsequent re-assessment of residual impacts to verify their acceptability;

Stakeholder Identification & Engagement: Identification of and communication with relevant stakeholders (i.e. government, non-governmental organizations, local community, etc.) to ascertain stakeholder influence over the project, as well as views and opinions, about the project and to provide an opportunity for stakeholder involvement in project planning and execution.