OREANDA-NEWS. On 28 April 2009 was announced, that the Management Committee of OAO LUKOIL approved the Environmental Safety Program for 2009-2013.

The Program is aimed at improving the environmental monitoring system and minimizing the negative environmental impact caused by the Company`s operations.

The Program implies measures aimed at minimizing and utilizing production waste, utilization of oil gas, implementation of projects within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol mechanisms , ensuring compliance of the environmental impact level with the requirements of the national and international legislation.

The Draft Program was initially submitted to 199 federal, regional and local authorities, research and public organizations for consideration and expert review.

In November and December of 2008, the Draft Program was presented to the representatives of governmental and public organizations and the mass media as part of public hearings held in the federal districts of the Russian Federation where the Company operates, i.e., the Volga Federal District, the North-West Federal District, the Urals Federal District, the Southern Federal District and the Central Federal District.

Taking into account the proposals and observations submitted within the framework of the public hearings, the Environmental Safety Program for 2009-2013 was updated and at present it includes 483  activities totaling  RUR 58.52 billion.

According to LUKOIL experts’ estimates, the economic effect to be achieved from the program implementation may come to over RUR 12 billion.

The following results are expected to be achieved upon the Program implementation:

·         reduction (prevention) of the annual pollutant emissions rate into the atmosphere by 278.7 thousand tons;

·         petroleum products loss cut in the amount of 7.3 thousand tons/per annum;

·         the annual water consumption rate cut by 4.1 million cubic m;

·         the annual pollutant discharges rate cut into water bodies – about 12 thousand tons;

·         utilization of 381.5 thousand tons of waste per annum, including 321.3 thousand tons of  oil-bearing waste per annum;

·         liquidation of 115 slurry ponds;

·         rehabilitation of disturbed and contaminated lands  – about 5.6 thousand hectares.