(Photo | Courtesy of Facebook)
Facebook is sharing the results of an independent environmental investigation into a recent incident during a drilling operation in Tierra Del Mar, Oregon, for the Jupiter transpacific subsea cable.
On April 28, an unfortunate incident occurred in which a horizontal directional drill hit hard rock 50 feet under the seafloor and the drilling pipe broke. This incident resulted in a 6-inch diameter steel pipe, intended to become the conduit to house the subsea cable, and drilling mud remaining in place at a depth of 50 to 70 feet below the seafloor.
ERM, a leading global provider of environmental consulting services with an office in Portland, conducted an independent environmental analysis, which was peer-reviewed by Geosyntec, another well-respected environmental firm with subject matter experts, to evaluate potential impacts from the drill break as well as options for recovery.
ERM’s analysis concludes that there are currently no adverse environmental, scenic, recreational or economic impacts resulting from the drill break and presence of remaining materials 50 to 70 feet below the seafloor, nor is there a reasonably conceived scenario (e.g., earthquake, tsunami or long-term coastal erosion) that would expose the remaining materials to the surrounding environment and result in future impacts.
For Facebook’s full statement, please go to engineering.fb.com/connectivity/environmental-impact-report.
