Mountain Goats and Helicopters: Implications for Heliportable Geophysical Activities
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Transcript of Mountain Goats and Helicopters: Implications for Heliportable Geophysical Activities
Mountain Goats and Helicopters:Implications for Heliportable Geophysical Activities
Jeff Matheson, Clint Smyth & Bill Nalder
EBA Waberski Darrow Ltd.
EBA Goat Study
Outline
A couple of pics illustrating talk
Project Background
Goat Responses to Heli
Implications
Recommendations
EBA Goat Study
OJAY Area
OJAY O&G Development Area
Veritas 3-D Seismic Program
EBA Goat Study
Canyon-Dwelling Goats
Belcourt Creek
Wapiti River
Mistanusk Creek
?
?
Goat range?
Impacts of helicopters?
EBA Goat Study
Solution
Veritas OGC
EBAWLAP
Goat Inventory &Operational Monitoring
EBA Goat Study
Objectives
• Protect mountain goats
• Determine distribution and habitat use
• Helicopter disturbance distance?
• Disturbance reduction/mitigation?
• Refine guidelines and regulations
EBA Goat Study
Inventory - Aerial
Aerial Survey
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Inventory - Ground
Ground Transects
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Inventory Results
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How many goats?
Area 23 Aug 2004 24 Aug 2004
Wapiti River 12 3
Belcourt Creek 6 10
Mistanusk Creek 5 0
Total 23 13
Aerial Survey
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How many goats?
Area Minimum Maximum
Wapiti River 22 30
Belcourt Creek 18 25
Mistanusk Creek 35 40
Total 75 95
Ground Surveys Over 10 Days
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Heliportable 3-D Seismic
Source and receiving lines
Low-impact, hand-cut seismic lines
Heliportable drilling
Recording equipment drop-off and pick-up
EBA Goat Study
Heliportable Drilling
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Recording Equipment
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Protocol (1)
1. Search for Goats
2. Begin Monitoring for Baseline Behaviour
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Protocol (2)
3. Commence Aerial Operations
4. Constant Contact With Heli and Ground Crews
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Protocol (3)
5. Record Behavioural Responses to Heli Distance
6. Terminate Operations if Goats Stressed
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Protocol (4)
• Helicopters began working far from goats and gradually moved closer.
• Disturbance was intermittent.
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Behavioural Responses
R1 No overt response
R2 Unconcerned response
R3 Curious response
R4 Concerned response
R5 Low alarm response
R6 High alarm response
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Monitoring Results (1)
0-500
501-1000
1001-1500
1501-2000
Helicopter Distance (m)
0
20
40
60
80
100P
erc
en
tag
e o
f G
oa
ts
High alarmLow alarmConcernedCuriousUnconcernedNot overt
Response
2
19
16
43
57
61126
236
57
30
1
78
24
51
25
10
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Monitoring Results (2)
• Increased levels of alarm and flight at helicopter distance under 1000m.
• Cases of helicopters operating at close range (less than 500m) with little or no apparent concern by goats.– Careful control of helicopter
movements. – Termination of helicopter use to
minimise negative responses.
EBA Goat Study
Monitoring Results (3)
• Few negative responses• Topography has a big effect• Sudden close range flight resulted in
high negative response.• In general, goat responses less than
other studies.
• Why? – Close management of heli movements– Acclimation period– Canyon topography
EBA Goat Study
Conclusions
• Helicopters can operate close to goats, provided there is operational monitoring.
• Avoid sudden close helicopter flights and begin working far from goats with a slow progression.
• Better to have longer duration, slower flights that might allow habituation.
EBA Goat Study
Recommendations
1000m buffer no-fly zone from high use area, unless goats are monitored.
For Canyon-Dwelling Goats
What about high-elevation alpine goats?
EBA Goat Study
Canyon versus Alpine
EBA Goat Study
High Use Goat Areas
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Acknowledgements
• Bill Nalder, Roberta Parson, Darren Schmidt, Jeff Matheson, Steve Moore, Clint Smyth, Derek Ebner and Karla Langlois
• Ed Schreuder of Veritas Energy Services Ltd. • Dave Robinson of Time Seismic Exchange Ltd. • Darrell Daniels of Complete Land Services Ltd. • Derek Doyle of the Oil and Gas Commission for
their support in this project. • Drillers and helicopter pilots.