Qatargas recently completed a major environmental initiative as part of its ongoing environmental commitment for its expansion projects.

The programme involved the relocation of over 4,500 coral colonies from the future pipeline corridors for the Qatargas expansion projects.
The environmental programme is considered unique and the largest coral protection effort conducted so far in the region providing protection to more than 4,500 coral colonies in an area that would have been affected by company expansion projects.
The coral protection plan was implemented in close cooperation with the Supreme Council for the Environment & Natural Reserves (SCENR) and as part of the Qatargas commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.
Among the considerable environmental challenges facing Qatargas in constructing such massive expansion projects is the preservation of coral colonies found along the pipeline corridors.
Qatargas conducted an Environmental and Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (ESIA) in 2004 that included assessing and minimising impacts to both marine and terrestrial environments, air, topography, soils and vegetation cover.
A key recommendation from the ESIA was to move representative coral colonies from the areas affected by the pipeline construction activities to a safe and sustainable location.
In 2004, 2005 and 2006, Qatargas contracted Continental Shelf Associates (CSA) to survey the marine seafloor to identify the coral colonies located along the future pipeline corridors.
CSA is one of the pioneers in the field of coral relocation and the Qatargas coral relocation project is one of the largest in the company’s history.
Supported and endorsed by the SCENR, the Qatargas expansion projects developed a detailed programme to relocate representative coral colonies from the corridors to a new location.
These colonies are very sensitive and extensive planning and great care was needed to properly remove them from their old habitat to a new one.
The first step in this complex process was to identify a suitable area for the corals to be relocated.
After reviewing satellite imagery nautical charts and working with the SCENR and local divers, CSA selected seven possible sites.
Visual surveys were conducted and one site south east of Al-Khor was found to be suitable. This location had the right water quality, water depth, hard sub-sea substrate and already contained live corals including those of the same species as the relocated corals.
Removal and relocation operations started in October 2006 and continued over five months.
First the coral colonies were carefully detached by scientists from the seafloor and placed in basket-shaped storage containers on the seafloor until ready for transport.
Once ready for transport the baskets were transferred onboard a ship and placed in large circulating seawater pools specially constructed for the project.
The corals were then transported to the new location and reattached to the seafloor. Scientists then numbered and tagged the sites for future monitoring.
Periodically an environmental monitoring survey will be carried out to determine the success of the relocation programme.
The coral’s colour, health and any major changes to the surrounding habitat will be monitored. With the addition of the relocated corals, it is hoped that the biodiversity in the new relocation site will increase, and Qatargas has recommended that the new area to be a designated as a natural marine reserve.
Qatargas’ coral relocation programme represents a significant contribution to responsible development and the protection of valuable environmental resources in Qatar for the benefit of future generations.