Environmental Baseline Survey, Block DWOB– South Africa – 2022 – TotalEnergies E&P South Africa B.V.

TotalEnergies E&P South Africa (TEEPSA) contracted Benthic Solutions Limited (BSL) for the provision of an Environmental Baseline Study (EBS) within Block DWOB located off the west coast of South Africa. Survey operations within Block DWOB were carried out aboard the supply vessel Bourbon Evolution 807 from the 12th of October 2022 to the 7th of November 2022. Environmental operations were conducted across the survey area to gather information on the physico-chemical and biological environment prior to drilling activities. Block DWOB is located in an area that extends roughly from 160 to 350 km along the continental slope to deep bathyal plain. Water depth in the survey area ranges from approximately from 800m to over 3,400m below sea level. The sampling strategy was designed by BSL and Creocean to follow TEEPSA set investigation targets and station selection rationale. The sampling plan consisted of sediment and water column sampling combined with seabed video acquisition in order to provide a greater understanding of the regional seabed habitats. Opportunistic marine megafauna observations were also to be undertaken during the survey to provide an understanding of the marine mammal communities present in the Block. This survey included characterisation of the seabed and water column physico-chemistry and biology, as well as, opportunistic observations of marine megafauna by marine mammal observations (MMO) and passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), to provide an understanding of the baseline conditions prior to commencing further drilling and development activities. The main objectives for the survey were to: • Acquire baseline data of sediment and water column physico-chemical characteristics within the survey area. • Identify and assess any existing pollutants within the sediment and the water column, in particular, those related to oil and gas activities within the survey area. • Identify sensitive habitats or species susceptible to disturbance from drilling and construction related activities. • Establish an understanding of the natural variation in environmental conditions against which the environmental impact of future oil and gas operations can be assessed. The sampling plan consisted of sediment and water column sampling combined with seabed video acquisition to provide a greater understanding of the regional seabed habitats. Opportunistic marine megafauna observations were also undertaken during the survey to provide an understanding of the marine mammal communities present in the Block. Based on time constraints as a result of weather, the survey strategy was continually modified to acquire data for priority areas, or areas with no previous data, as agreed with the client.