disposal wells or marine sites. Routine operation, maintenance, and 

 repair of treatment, pumping, and storage equipment are frequently 

 conducted within the confines of the pad site or on the platform/barge 

 structures. Processing wastes are stored within the complex area, 

 disposed of via flowlines, or transported immediately off site. Routine 

 maintenance and operational trips are conducted by trucks to sites 

 accessible via leveed roads or by small boats to sites accessible only by 

 canal. Typical areal extent of a newly constructed production facility 

 is approximately 0.4 ha (1 acre). 



2. Primary ecological alterations 



2.1 Trampling and crushing of vegetation due to construction machinery 



2.2 Complete loss of vegetation within the pad site or platform complex 



2.3 Permanent displacement and/or loss of consumer groups within the 

 facility site 



2.4 Increases in concentrations of suspended sediments and dissolved 

 nutrients 



2.5 Introduction of toxic materials into the site's water and soil 

 systems 



2.6 Displacement of sensitive wildlife species from adjacent areas due 

 to treatment processes and constant human activity 



I 



2.7 Alteration of water flows in localized areas 

 Attribute alterations 



Conversion of a well to production status creates few additional site 

 alterations. In the case of a leveed pad, all activities occur near the 

 wellhead and central pad area. Operation consists primarily of periodic J 

 maintenance and inspection visits. Equipment repair may occasionally " 

 require limited activity on the pad. Outlying portions of the pad revege- 

 tate following reduced activity levels. If drilling was conducted from a 

 special barge, the capped wellhead is enclosed by a small elevated plat- 

 form, and the barge is subsequently removed. Construction of the platform 

 and barge removal cause localized increases in suspended sediments. The 

 effects however, are yery temporary and restricted in scope. Consequently, 

 further consideration will not address the very small-scale alterations 

 generated at the existing wellhead location, but will concentrate primarily 



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