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HEPCA inquiry to Saudi ARAMCO goes unanswered

As part of our continuous efforts to factually ascertain the source of the sounds that had been heard along all the Egyptian Red Sea coast (during the latter days of last March) and which had been reported to HEPCA by a large number of divers and dive centers, the Association sent a formal request for information, via email, to Saudi ARAMCO. To date, HEPCA has not received a response to its email. HEPCA reiterate the seriousness of the situation and wishes to stress that seismic surveying, particularly of the intense magnitude experienced in the last incident, has dire effects on marine fauna and flora. A comprehensive and efficiently executed environmental impact assessment is a necessity before any such activity can be conducted; a matter which seems to have been disregarded lately. The full text of HEPCA’s email to Saudi ARAMCO can be viewed below. Dear Sir We are writing to you concerning recent information HEPCA (Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association) has received pertaining to seismic surveying activities being carried out in the Red Sea. For the last 10 days of March, divers from different locations along the Egyptian Red Sea coast have reported a number of very loud sounds in the water that are definitely caused by seismic surveying. Many of the divers have expressed feeling extremely uncomfortable and were forced to terminate their dives. Diving activities at the Northern Red Sea coast, where the sounds are loudest and have had most effect, have been forced to greatly decrease their diving activities as it was virtually impossible to dive because of the sounds and vibrations. Furthermore, HEPCA has received many reports from divers of clear and obvious changes in the behavior of marine organisms at different locations along the Egyptian Red Sea coast that started with the first instances of sounds being reported. Our research into this leads us to believe that Saudi ARAMCO has been carrying out deep water seismic surveys in the Red Sea and we have issued a newsletter to this effect. Your company has yet to issue any statement on or about these activities. Therefore, HEPCA requests a formal and clear response from Saudi ARAMCO on whether seismic surveying activities are being conducted in the Red Sea by Saudi ARAMCO or a contracted company on behalf of Saudi ARAMCO. As you well know, the adverse impact of seismic surveying on the marine ecology has been documented over the years. Continued operations of the magnitude and duration that have been reported can only cause great harm to marine organisms and human beings. Thus, your timely response to our inquiry would be appreciated. Yours Faithfully, HEPCA