OREANDA-NEWS. February 06, 2007. This was the task voiced by the region's governor at the meeting with Eni delegation headed by Stefano Cao, head of Eni's exploration and production unit, reported the Official website http://en.government.kz.

The utmost priority, according to the governor Bergei Ryskaliev, is to preserve the ecological system of the Caspian basin in the course of oil operations in the offshore zone and in the course of the following hydrocarbon production.

First of all this relates to the problem of disposal of sulphur to be extracted in huge volumes of the Kashagan’s oil in which sulfurated hydrogen makes up roughly 20%.

According to B. Ryskaliev, the Caspian basin is a fragile ecological system and foreign investors would be held liable should they cause any contamination. To exclude unfounded liability, the parties need to define in advance the amounts of compensation for any damage that can be inflicted on the flora and fauna of the Caspian Sea.

Life and health cover for the region’s population in the event of emergencies and/or irreversible changes in the environment is also of great concern to the region’s authorities.

“This is a requirement put forth in the Environment Code of Kazakhstan”, the governor reminded.

Another issue to be attended to is creation of a green belt of trees along all the Agip KCO’s on-land facilities to form natural protection for residents of Atyrau and all the surrounding population clusters.