6.1. BIODIVERSITY
OF THE CASPIAN ECOSYSTEM
The Caspian Sea is a unique ecosystem with rare and endemic species found nowhere else in
the world. As
of
today, it is experiencing global changes due to natural and anthropogenic factors. Protection and
preservation of this unique area is a top priority in NCOC activities.
The various studies carried out since 1993 have allowed NCOC to collect a vast environmental data
required
to accomplish important tasks – the creation of specially protected natural sites and the conservation of
biodiversity in these areas under the changing climate conditions and growing economic activities in the
Caspian Sea.
For NCOC, the development of the offshore field is not only a matter of hydrocarbon production but also an
opportunity to contribute to the North Caspian Sea environment protection activities through a
comprehensive
NCOC program aimed at protecting marine ecosystem, which includes:
-
Study (monitoring) of flora and fauna.
-
Study of offshore and onshore biodiversity
for the purpose of its conservation.
-
Use of best practices.
-
Support of environmental programs and
CASPIAN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION PROTOCOL RATIFICATION
In 2021, Kazakhstan enacted the law ratifying the Caspian Biodiversity
Conservation Protocol to
the Framework Convention for Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea.
According to this law, each Caspian State may assign, with the consent of other countries,
protected offshore and coastal areas in order to:
-
Protect habitats vital for the survival, breeding, and recovery of endangered or endemic flora
and fauna species
-
Protect sites of primary importance due to their scientific, aesthetic, cultural, or educational
significance.
Since the date of signing the law ratifying the Caspian Biodiversity
Conservation Protocol, NCOC
has been taking an active part in the initiatives of the Ministry of Ecology, Geology, and Natural
Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan to develop and establish specially protected natural sites
(SPNS) and the State Nature Reserve “Seal”.
raising public awareness about biodiversity
in the region.
Biodiversity study and conservation activities
include:
-
Annual observations of onshore and offshore
environmental parameters during industrial
monitoring.
-
Caspian seal population surveys.
-
Bird observations.
-
Creation of a biodiversity geoinformation
system.
-
Tree-planting activities.
-
Development of a sensitivity map for the
North-East Caspian Sea.
-
Studies on the colonization of artificial
islands by sea bottom organisms.
-
Release of farmed sturgeon juveniles into
the Zhayik-Caspian Basin.
NCOC actively employs the best innovative
technologies to study and conserve biodiversity.
Such technologies include unmanned aerial
vehicles in wildlife survey, multispectral surveys of
the Caspian seal population, modern equipment
at Atyrau sturgeon hatcheries, and others.
As part of a public awareness campaign for
biodiversity conservation, the Company’s
ecologists provide data on biodiversity, publish
scientific information, make video films, support
environmental events, and consult schoolchildren
and students.
SHAREHOLDERS
Tree planting
As part of the Bolashak OPF Sanitary Protection Zone Size Justification Project, NCOC
is
engaged in tree planting in Eskene West Sanitary Protection Zone (SPZ) as a buffer zone for
absorbing atmospheric emissions.
As of today, the greened area accounts for 14.7 hectares and more than 7,000 trees in the
green shelter belt area. During 2021 and in the coming years, NCOC will maintain the care
and watering of the planted trees both in the SPZ and at Sokolok pilot site. However, during
multiyear tree-planting activities at the SPZ sites, the Company has faced and continues
to face problems with the development of the shelterbelt, particularly with irrigation due
to water shortage in this region, soil salinity, and dry climate. Given such difficulties with
the shelterbelt’s development, the Company has considered the possibility of revising its
commitments regarding SPZ greening and considering other sites for greening in and
around Atyrau city.
Given the above, on 20 April 2021 NCOC and Atyrau Oblast Akimat signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU). Under the MoU terms, the commitment to SPZ project will be
transferred to another site and formalized in the SPZ project for 2022, since the landscaping
is part of the SPZ project.
According to the soil inspection report, the following areas have been defined for treeplanting in
2021-2025:
NCOC jointly with Kazakh Forestry and Agricultural Reclamation Research Institute,
named
after A.N. Bukeikhan (service contractor), NCOC carried out research works and commenced
development of a tree-planting project for the above areas.
Tree planting activities in Bereke village area started in September 2021. As of the year end, a
62 ha area was fenced and cleaned of solid domestic wastes, a soil prepared for planting, drip
irrigation pumps, materials and planting stock had been purchased, and more than a 10 ha
area had been planted with trees. Tree planting will continue in spring 2022.
When planting trees and shrubs in the Atyrau region special agrotechnical conditions should
be considred because of the prevailing sulfide and chloride salts in the soil. The brackish
soil causes the death of many types of trees. Atyrau oblast is characterized by the lowest
precipitation rate – below 200 ml per year (3 to 4 rains per season). NCOC has engaged a
service contractor with a long track record in the selection and growing of the planting stock
in such environment. The stock range includes heat and salt resistant regional species of
Chinese and Ulmus (Karagach) elms, as well as the common ash, False Acacia, Siberian pea
shrub, Siberian pea tree (Caragana), Oleaster, prim, and tamarisk.
Tree watering employs a drip irrigation method which allows the water to reach each tree,
thus saving moisture and preventing secondary soil clogging.
The tree planting program provides for mandatory use of organic and mineral fertilizers
Caspian seal
The Caspian seal, Pusa caspica (Gmelin, 1788), is
the only marine mammal in the entire Caspian
Sea. The mammal endemic to this region plays
a unique role, being the end master link in the
food chain of the Caspian aquatic ecosystem
and, therefore, considered an indicator of the
ecosystem health.
In XX century, a stable decrease in Caspian seal
numbers was observed due to both natural
and man-caused factors. Such causes include
a reduction in the food stock, commercial seal
hunting in the middle of the last century, various
diseases, difficulties during breeding periods,
unfavorable weather conditions, fishing and
entrapping in fish nets, etc.
Since 2005, with commencement of intensive
hydrocarbon exploration and developments in
the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea, NCOC
Sea and the sustainable use of its resources, and
promote the study, protection, and conservation
of its natural environment.
During the recent 2012, 2020, and 2021 surveys,
the seal population size and annual pup number
were analyzed. The studies are to be continued
in 2022-2023.
The average annual pup rate for the last decade
is 59,070 species; the average total population
size is 286,200 species. The growth is evident for
both the pup rate (from 56,700 species in 2012 to
62,260 species in 2021), and the total population
number (from 274,700 species in 2012 to 302,000
species in 2021). The annual average growth of
the Caspian seal’s population in the last decade
has been about 1%.
Thus, the total population size of the Caspian
seals remains quite stable in the last 10 years,
with a slight but stable tendency to grow
despite the significant meteorological variations
between the winters of these years. This signifies
a high adaptivity of the Caspian seal, enabling its
successful reproduction under a wide range of
environmental changes.
Observations from icebreakers
During the winter navigation in 2021, icebreakers
Tulpar and Mangystau-3 made eight observation
trips during the pupping season with observers
on board.
The main objective of the observers was to count
the seals along the icebreakers’ navigation route
has arranged multiyear seals studies including
annual visual areal counts of the Caspian seal.
According to the scientists of the Caspian
International Seal Survey (CISS) team, who carried
out surveys with NCOC support in 2021, the
Caspian seal population in 2005 was estimated
as 104 thousand species, which was 91% lower
than in 1900, when its number exceeded 1.2
million species.
A five-year Kazakhstan-Russian Caspian seal
research program in the North Caspian Sea was
initiated in 2019 with participation of the RoK
and international scientific organizations. The
program was developed based on the Convention
on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, signed on
August 12, 2018, in Aktau. Implementation of the
convention aimed to promote and enhance the
cooperation between the States in the Caspian
region, facilitate the peaceful use of the Caspian
and to confirm the compliance of the operational
personnel’s actions with the requirements of the
Rules for Prevention of Sea Navigation Impact
on Seals. The observers recorded 2,842 species
of Caspian seals.
It should be noted that, as a result of NCOC
operations including icebreaker operations, there
have been no incidents of a vessel collision with a
seal since the Rules have been implemented and
no incidents of seal mass mortality since 2015.
Aerial helicopter surveys along the proposed
navigation routes
The aerial surveys were performed along the
routes of the icebreakers, providing support to
Kashagan field development to establish the
level of icebreakers’ impact on the Caspian seal
population.
The helicopter flight route was westbound from
Kashagan field along the proposed navigation
channel, then to the south till the exit from
the virtual channel. Afterwards, it was from
north-west to south-east along the icebreaker
route to the open water edge. Rare groups and
single animals were encountered northwards
to Kashagan field. The overflight established 23
sites with highest density of the Caspian seal.
Most seals were located on ice fields, with rare
animals staying at the ice edge.
Ichthyofauna
In 2021, the Fishery Committee of the Ministry
of Ecology, Geology, and Natural Resources
and NCOC decided to take compensatory
measures construction of the infrastructure for
reproduction facilities and reconstruction of
existing reproduction facilities for fish resources
and other aquatic animals at Zhayik-Atyrau
sturgeon hatchery.
The list of compensatory measures also
includes the release of artificially reared
sturgeon juveniles into fishery water bodies.
To maintain the sturgeon population in the
Caspian Sea, NCOC has funded the activities of
the Zhayik-Caspian Sturgeon Hatchery (UCSH)
on rearing and releasing around 800,000
sturgeon juveniles in 2017-2021 (27,000
juveniles in 2021). NCOC will continue stocking
the Zhayik River with viable sturgeon juveniles
in subsequent years. Activities are planned for
2022–2026 to fund the rearing and release of
2 million sturgeon juveniles into the natural
water body.
Bird Surveys
The North Pre-Caspian region, including the
deltas of the inflowing Zhayik and Volga Rivers, is
classified as wetlands of international significance
due to the global role it plays for waterfowl
and semi-aquatic birds. The RoK scientific
organizations, with support of NCOC, continue
seasonal (wintering, spring-autumn migrations,
and summer nesting) bird surveys in the vicinity
of Kashagan facilities and along the coastal line.
Overall, the condition of the bird fauna in the
North Caspian Sea in 2021 is good. The Caspian
Sea level decrease has had no impact on the
number of bird species or their diversity but
rather influences their distribution within the
habitat area.
6.2. FRESHWATER
The UN ranked Kazakhstan as a region with a
high (25-50%) water stress. NCOC is committed
to maximizing the conservation of freshwater.
The onshore facilities in the region have extremely
limited reserves of fresh surface water. The ground
water is characterized by high mineralization and
cannot be used as a water supply source. Water
economic activity fully depends on the imported
water resources. Efficient water manage-ment
can influence the availability of water for the local
environment, socio-economic development, and
future demands. That is why we manage water use
in an intelligent and responsible way.
The total volume of freshwater withdrawn/
consumed during NCOC operations in 2021 was
871 thousand m3. The KazTransOil’s AstrakhanMangyshlak pipeline suppling the
Volga River
water along the North-East coast of the Caspian
Sea remains the main source of freshwater
supply for the operation needs.
There was a significant drop in freshwater
consumption in 2020 due to the COVID-19
pandemic quarantine and restricted access
to the sites in 2020. The 2021 performance is
therefore compared to the pre-pandemic 2019
year. As compared to 2019, NCOC decreased
the total amount of freshwater consumption by
7.3%, including a decrease of water intake:
-
Freshwater withdrawn for Bolashak OPF
needs from the Astrakhan-Mangyshlak
pipeline was reduced by 7% due to water
reuse from Tail Gas Treatment Unit
-
Freshwater from municipal freshwater
supplies was reduced by 21% due to
restricted access of personnel to the
Company’s supporting facilities in 2021.
As compared to 2020, there is an increasing trend
in freshwater consumption. This was caused by
the suspension of some operations at NCOC
facilities due to the COVID pandemic quarantine
and restricted access to the sites in 2020.
At the same time, the performance indicator of
freshwater consumption is 39 m3
per 1,000 tons
of HC production in 2021, which is not much
higher the International Association of Oil &
Gas Producers’ performance indicators for EU
region (3712).
The volume of freshwater consumed by NCOC
onshore facilities is 870 thousand m3
.
Offshore facilities also need freshwater. Apart
from the purchased freshwater (1 thous. m3
in 2021), NCOC uses sea water to produce
freshwater for offshore facilities’ needs. After
having been processed through desalination
units, freshwater is used for domestic purposes
and brine water is diverted back to the water
source. Sea water intake and clean water (brine)
discharge is regulated by a special water use
permit obtained in accordance with the RoK
legislation requirements.
The generated untreated domestic wastewater is
sent to the wastewater treatment plant (Triqua).
The treated wastewater is then transferred to
a NCOC onshore facility in Mangystau region
for further treatment and reuse for greenery
irrigation and dust suppression.
The total volume of seawater withdrawn for
desalination units in 2021 was 115 thousand
m3. Return water from the desalination unit, in
the volume of 84 thousand m3, was discharged
into the sea in accordance with the special
water use permit. About 31 thousand m3 were
produced by offshore desalination units in
2021. The volume of freshwater obtained after
the desalination unit replaces the volume of
freshwater that would have been supplied from
the onshore facilities.
As compared to 2019, NCOC decreased the
total amount of sea water intake by 7%.
The volume of freshwater consumed at onshore
and offshore facilities per unit of production in
2021 was 40 tons of water per 1,000 equivalent
tons of oil13.
In 2021, NCOC treated and reused about
448,300 m3 of wastewater at onshore and
offshore facilities: 60,500 m3 of domestic
wastewater for greening irrigation and dust
suppression at onshore facilities in Mangystau
and Atyrau Oblasts and for domestic use at the
offshore facilities.
The highest effect can be achieved by industrial
wastewater reuse. Thus, the volume of industrial
wastewater reuse in 2021 was 387,800 m3 from
Tail Gas Treatment Unit.
6.3. DISCHARGES TO WATER
NCOC pursues a policy of zero-discharge. The
principles of this policy are no disposal and no
discharges of waste and treated wastewater into
a natural surface water, including the Caspian
Sea.
NCOC uses lined evaporation ponds as the
safest available method for managing treated
industrial water. All industrial wastewater
undergoes several stages of mechanical,
chemical, and biological treatment. The best
available technologies are applied to treat
wastewater, including sour water stripping,
oxidation, back flotation, sedimentation,
separation, and filtration. Treated wastewater
from industrial processes and treated
domestic effluents are discharged via the
strainer filters into evaporation ponds/
gathering ponds for further evaporation. The
ponds are completely isolated from soil and
subsurface waters.
The total volume of hydrocarbons discharged
with treated domestic effluents and industrial
water into lined evaporation ponds was 0.3 tons
in 2021. The significant decrease in hydrocarbon
discharge into evaporation ponds versus the
previous year (1.85 tons in 2020, 1.6 tons in 2019)
was due to the upgrade of wastewater treatment
facilities.
6.4. NON-GHG AIR EMISSIONS
The primary air emission sources at NCOC
facilities include flaring units, gas turbine units,
thermal oxidizers of TGTU, heating and hotwater boilers, and diesel generators.
As North Caspian Project was originally
designed to avoid routine flaring and venting,
no H2S-containing gases are vented into the
atmosphere. All produced gas is re-injected,
processed to recover elemental sulfur for
industrial use, used as fuel, or sold. Flaring is,
however, needed in the course of operations as
the safest and most effective way to deal with
gas that, for temporary technical reasons, could
not be processed (for example, commissioning
activities, operations, intermittent discharges to
flare due to operational upsets, etc.). The flaring
unit is a part of any oil and gas production
facility and functions as a so-called “relief valve”
of the plant to ensure the safe operation of the
facility. A small ignition flame burns at all times
to ensure readiness for flaring. The height of
the flaring unit ensures maximum dispersion of
combustion products in the air. Power is supplied
to onshore and offshore facilities by gas turbine
units running on associated gas produced
from the Kashagan field. Elemental sulfur for
industrial use is recovered from the produced
gas with efficiency of 99.9% and any traces
of residual hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur
compounds are completely combusted into SO2
in the thermal oxidizer of tail-gas treatment unit.
The turbines are equipped with special burners
designed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.
Boilers produce steam, heat water, and provide
heating for buildings. Boilers run on fuel gas,
however use of diesel fuel is also possible. Diesel
generators are used only for stand-by power
generation.
In 2021, as well as in 2020, there was no
exceedance of emission limits set forth in the
environmental permits at the air emission
sources and the facility levels.
In 2021, the volume of non-GHG air emissions
from all NCOC operations was within permitted
volumes and totaled:
-
828 tonnes of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs)
-
11,161 tonnes of oxides of sulfur (SOx)
-
4,012 tonnes of oxides of nitrogen (NOx
excluding N2O, which is reported under GHG
air emissions).
SOx emissions at onshore and offshore facilities,
that make up 51.2% of overall non-GHG air
emissions, consistently reduced from 2017
through 2021 owing to a reduction in gas flaring
volumes due to improvements in the reliability
and availability of technological equipment.
NCOC achieved industry top results on process
equipment availability and reliability performance.
Thus, actual volumes of safety flaring per unit of
hydrocarbon production at EP facilities are of
the lowest in the industry and constitute 0.34%
of total associated gas produced or 1.55 ton of
gas flared per kiloton of hydrocarbon production
in 2021, which is well below IOGP performance
indicators for the EU (2.39 in 202014).
The volume of SO2 emissions per unit of
hydrocarbon production in 2021 was 0.5 per
thousand equivalent tons of oil, which is above
the IOGP average performance indicators (0.21
in 2020)15. Higher SO2 emissions are specific to
high sour gas content oilfields and there are no
performance indicators established for the similar
fields to do a robust comparison.
NOx emissions were higher than 2020 due to
an increase in hydrocarbon production. VOC
emissions were lower because of the downtime
of living quarters and support barges, alongside
reduced maintenance activities, due to limited
operations at production facilities as a result
of quarantine measures and a decrease in the
volume of burnt gas on flares.
The volume of NOx and non-methane VOC
emissions per unit of hydrocarbon production in
2021 was 0.18 and 0.04 respectively per thousand
equivalent tons of oil, which is well below the
IOGP (International Association of Oil and Gas
Producers) performance indicators for EU (0.27
and 0.19 respectively in 2020)15.
Air monitoring is an important part of NCOC
general program for industrial environmental
monitoring. It includes the following several
components:
Air quality monitoring stations
Supported financially and technically by NCOC,
20 automatic stations for continuous monitoring
of the air quality are installed in Atyrau city and
Atyrau Oblast. Four stations are located along
the perimeter of the 7-km sanitary protection
zone of Bolashak OPF, seven more stations are
installed in the nearby and remote from the
OPF settlements including Dossor and Makat,
and nine stations are located in Atyrau city.
The AQMS operate on a 24/7 basis and
continuously measure the concentrations of five
components (hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbonic
oxide), which are the main air pollutants, as
well as meteorological parameters determining
the conditions of contaminant dispersion in the
air (wind speed and direction, air temperature,
barometric pressure, and relative humidity).
The remote data transfer project has been
implemented for the purpose of centralized
data collection from the stations. It allows the
transfer of measurement data on a 24/7 basis
from every AQMS to the central computer in
the NCOC office, where such data is analyzed
and stored. Simultaneously, specialists of the
Atyrau Branch “KazHydroMet” and the Atyrau
Oblast Department for Natural Resources
and Nature Use Regulation are provided with
remote access to the data received from the
Company’s stations for online monitoring of
the air quality. Both raw and ratified data are
available to state authorities and the national
hydrometeorological service.
Since the end of 2020, air quality data
provided from eight stations of the Company
installed in the main micro-districts of
Atyrau (Zhilgorodok, Privokzalnyi, Avangard,
Vostok, etc.) have become available on the
Kazhydromet interactive map and in the AirKz
mobile application, available for download from
App Store or Play Market. In addition, Atyrau
residents can observe the data on LED displays
installed throughout the city.
Since 2016, the Company has been carrying out
the modernization and upgrade of the stations,
including enhancement of the data transfer
system to reduce the data deference time,
resulting in the interval reduction to 1 hour.
The gas analyzers installed in the OPF area have
been replaced with new series models. The
phased upgrade of the measuring tools at all
stations will continue in 2022.
Hydrogen Sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is another non-GHG
air emission. It is a flammable and highly toxic
substance with a strong and unpleasant odor. It
can be generated anywhere with decomposition
of sulfur-containing organic materials in the
absence of oxygen; thus, it is emitted naturally in
marsh gases and volcanoes (sometimes in large
quantities), as well as from oil and associated
gas in some oil and gas fields.
Given the sour nature of Kashagan field,
hydrogen sulfide is present at every stage of
oil and gas production, transportation, and
processing and, accordingly, at all Company’s
units associated with these processes.
The 7-km sanitary protection zone (SPZ) for
Kashagan Experimental Program (EP) onshore
facilities is defined in line with RoK sanitary
rules by a licensed contractor on the basis of
the results of a public health risk and cumulative
impact assessment, and set by the authorized
governmental body as a safe distance from
Kashagan onshore facilities during normal
operations and in possible scenarios of
incidents and emergency situations/accidents.
In line with RoK sanitary rules, the size of SPZ
is validated by industrial control results and
impact monitoring (that shows compliance 95%
of AQMS operating time – within the tolerance
threshold of an air dispersion model) confirms
the appropriateness of the assessment. Thus,
it is in compliance with applicable residential
and working air quality standards and emission
limits.
As in the previous years, the results of continuous
monitoring in 2021 indicate that the short-term
H₂S peaks (from 1 to 20 minutes in duration)
are still far more likely in Atyrau than close to
Bolashak OPF.
NUMBER OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE
MPCO.T. EXCEEDANCES
The x-axis of this graph shows 19 NCOC air quality monitoring stations, except for West Oil AQMS No. 104
located in the industrial area of the city, the data of which is not subject to comparison with the
maximum onetime concentration MPC for residential areas.
The vertical colored bars represent the number of instances (of short-term duration less than 20 minutes)
in
which each station registered H2S concentrations in excess of the Maximum Permissible Concentrations (see
legend for color coding).
Stations No. 103, 104, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, and 114 are located in
Atyrau city.
Stations 105 are 106 are situated in the villages of Dossor and Makat,
respectively.
Stations 101, 102, 107, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, and 120 are located along the
SPZ, in Samal Base, in adjacent
Eskene, Taskesken, Karabatan railway stations, and village of Eskene West. These stations may be impacted
by
OPF Bolashak. The nearest settlement, Taskesken railway station, is located at least 8.8 km north of
Kashagan
Experimental Program (EP) onshore facilities, Atyrau city is 40 km south-west, and Karabatan and Eskene
Stations are 11-17 km west/north-east.
Note: This diagram shows H2S data only. In addition, NCOC air
quality monitoring stations register CO, SO2 ,
NO, and NO2 levels. It should be noted that SOx and NOx are possible fuel
combustion and technologically
unavoidable gas flaring products. The sources of H2S may be from releases (internal to NCOC
facilities or from
other non-NCOC industrial sources) or naturally occurring biological activity. The baseline of
H2
S excessive
concentration cases at EW is leveled at 100-200 cases per year before the startup of hydrocarbon
operations
at Kashagan facilities that indicate that there are non-NCOC H2S sources in area.
Comprehensive Air Quality
Studies within Atyrau City
and in Eskene West
Bolashak OPF Area
On 23 December, 2021 in Atyrau, NCOC together with Zhaik Caspian Aarhus Centre held
a round table with representatives of local government authorities, NGOs, academics,
and the media to inform the public about the results of Air Quality Surveys. In response
to a request from the public addressed to NCOC in 2018 to assess the surface layer of
atmospheric air and the dynamics of air quality changes, since 2019 the Republican
Research Centre for Atmospheric Air Protection, Al-Farabi Kazakhstan National
University, Information and Production Centre Gidromet Ltd and KAZECOANALYSIS LLP,
have been conducting comprehensive air quality studies in Atyrau city and the Bolashak
Onshore Processing Facility (OPF) area at Eskene West. These studies are the first of such
scale performed in Kazakhstan. The studies consist of three stages which include data
screening, analysis, and monitoring, with field and laboratory measurements.
PHASE I of the studies involved screening and analysis of historical 2009-2021
data
on the air quality and permits, and data from Kazhydromet for Atyrau Oblast. The
studied parameters included hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic compounds in
Atyrau and Eskene West and nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide in
Atyrau.
The PHASE I study found that hydrogen sulfide air quality concentration exceedance
cases registered by Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) have prevailing patterns.
For instance, cases are typically prevalent as short-term spikes in warmer weather. The
exceedance patterns also identify predominant wind directions suggesting possible
primary sources of the pollutant. Study data specifically identifies 92% of cases registered
in Atyrau and Eskene West as attributable to the city of Atyrau. Actual exceedances
attributable to Atyrau city were 2 to 3 times higher than exceedances attributable to the
Eskene West industrial area. The PHASE I study concluded that the Eskene West industrial
area does not affect Atyrau.
PHASE II of the Air Quality Studies involved the development of the monitoring
program that
has been later approved by the environmental authorities and the community of Atyrau city.
PHASE III of the Air Quality Studies includes field measurements and air quality
laboratory
studies. The field air quality monitoring works started in autumn 2020 and were completed in
November 2021. The field measurements were carried out four times a day for a year. In order
to ensure accurate records, observation monitoring posts were identified in representative
locations. Sixteen observation monitoring posts were selected in the territory of Atyrau,
with further monitoring points identified in Eskene West and nearby settlements stations in
Karabatan, Eskene, and Taskesen.
The PHASE III field measurements did not identify any exceedances of nitrogen
oxides, sulfur
dioxide, or carbon monoxide. The measurements also reaffirmed the overall findings of PHASE
I overwhelmingly indicating hydrogen sulfide exceedances are not attributable to the Eskene
West industrial area. The studies did register additional volatile organic compounds than those
identified at PHASE I. However, no prevailing patterns (e.g., predominate wind direction) were
identified to explain the reasons or sources of the newly registered compounds.
It should be noted that the Company's study, which included under-plume monitoring,
did not identify any excess of pollutant emissions at the sources of onshore facilities in
Eskene West. This confirms the compliance of the production facilities located in Eskene
West with the design indicators and applicable standards. NCOC maintains its operations
within permitted emission standards and continually seeks and implements opportunities
to further reduce its emissions. To reduce the number and quality of cases with pollutant
concentrations in excess of the MPC in the Eskene West area and biogenic formation of
hydrogen sulfide in evaporation ponds, the Company developed and implemented the plan
of technical measures, including a trial to reduce SRB activity and H2S formation in ponds.
The results of the completed studies, which covered the 12-year period, indicate that the
number of recorded excess pollutants in Atyrau city has not increased since the launch
of the Bolashak plant. Studies have also shown that the number of Maximum Permitted
Concentration (MPC) excesses in Eskene West is significantly lower than in Atyrau. We hope
that the findings and recommendations of scientists will help our state authorities and
industrial enterprises to improve the effectiveness of environmental activities in the Atyrau
region. At the same time, experts note the high density of stations (both manually operated
and automatic) in Atyrau, which is 10 times higher than in other cities.
To identify sources of pollution that contribute to the occasional AQMS exceedances in
Eskene West (duration 5% of total recorded AQMS operating time), the Company initiated
and implemented comprehensive studies of atmospheric air in West Eskene, identified the
impact from the sources at the Company’s facilities and from third parties, as well as assessed
the reliability of ambient air quality data.
In accordance with the interim results, exceedances of maximum one-time air quality
standards for hydrogen sulfide recorded by AQMS at the vicinity of the Company’s onshore
facilities are associated with external sources of third parties and the biogenic formation of
hydrogen sulfide in the evaporation ponds, which is a metabolic by-product of the sulfate
reducing bacteria that normally occur in nature.
6.5. WASTE MANAGEMENT
The total volume of wastes generated by the
Company in 2021 was 12,142 tonnes, including
7,784 tonnes of amber-level waste and 1,797
tonnes of green-level waste, and 2,561 nonhazardous wastes.
In 2021, many of the Company’s activities
resumed after previous suspension in 2020 due
to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. This led
to a significant increase of generated waste
volume.
NCOC, in conducting its operations, maintains a
policy of zero waste disposal into surface water
bodies, including the Caspian Sea. All wastes
generated at offshore facilities are transported
to a licensed contractor’s onshore waste
facilities via Bautino Supply Base by vessels
specifically equipped for the safe loading and
transportation of wastes and effluents.
NCOC Waste Management System is aimed
at minimizing the generated waste at the
source through process optimization and
improvement.
The Company actively employs a system for
the separate collection of waste at its facilities
to simplify its further utilization. The waste
management and monitoring system presents
a full lifecycle from waste generation to final
disposal.
The Company hands over its waste to
specialized licensed companies engaged in
the collection, transportation, preparation for
recycling, segregation, pre-treatment, treatment,
decontamination, and disposal of waste in
accordance with statutory requirements.
In addition to statutory compliance, the
Company follows international practices
and monitors the quality of waste disposal
activities performed by its contractors:
methods of waste treatment, condition of the
industrial control system, and availability of
resources sufficient to fulfil the contractual
commitments. Furthermore, NCOC supports
and promotes the search of the methods
aimed at maximizing waste recycling.
loss of containment causing a major oil spill and
subsequent fire.
It was the first time NCOC engaged the resources of
the State Fire Department to test aligned processes
on site. The exercise was observed by representatives
6.6. OIL SPILLS RESPONSE
NCOC places its first priority on the prevention
of oil spills. However, no matter how confident
we are in the efficiency of their prevention,
the Company remains always prepared to
respond quickly and fully to incidents were
they to occur
In 2021, there were 0 hydrocarbon spills in
excess of 1 barrel reaching the environment
from NCOC operations (total volume: 0 barrels
of oil-equivalent).
Actions taken in 2021
-
Prevention. The most efficient way to
protect against oil spills is to prevent them
from occurring in the first place. This is done
by identifying spill risks and ensuring that the
highest safety standards are continuously
applied to mitigate those risks.
-
Technology. We employ innovative
technologies to assist in responding to oil
spills and are actively engaged in research
on new and more effective methods.
-
Response Training. NCOC has a dedicated
Oil Spill Response group, with about 100
trained staff and equipment suitable for
use in the harsh environment of the North
Caspian Sea. Such equipment is stored at
support bases in Bautino and Damba. NCOC
has a comprehensive Oil Spill Response
Plan that is regularly drilled. Major drills
include participation of local and state Fire
Department and Authorities.
NCOC pays great attention to incident
prevention. We follow safety rules and always
perform risk assessment. No matter how
confident we are in preventing incidents,
we shall be ready to respond quickly and
effectively in case they occur. To this end,
each year NCOC conducts exercises using
different scenarios of major incident threats or
situations identified as potential risks in future
activities.
In September 2021, the Crisis and Emergency
Preparedness team conducted Tier 3 Exercise
Kyrkuyek-2021. The exercise focused on a
major onshore incident threat involving crude
oil storage tank and shipping facilities, i.e. the
of the State Department of Emergency Situations
and the Department of Industrial Safety. During
the exercise, the notification and activation process
of the Oil Spill and Response Limited (OSRL)
contractor was tested. The event was also attended
by the NCOC Incident Management Team, Shell
ICS instructors, and the Spill Consult contractor. In
total, 130 people, including state firefighters, were
involved in the exercise.
It was a valuable experience for all response
teams. The received feedback will be taken
into account to further improve the process
of preparedness for crisis and emergency
situations. The teams noted that the objectives
of the exercise were achieved, with timely and
effective support and communication between
the teams.
