OREANDA-NEWS. September 03, 2012. TNK-BP informs that OJSC Samotlorneftegaz (incorporated into the TNK-BP Group of Companies) is buying WaterKing amphibious excavators for legacy lands remediation in hard-to-reach areas of the Samotlor field in West Siberia. Over 60 million rubles will be spent for these purposes, reported the press-centre of TNK-BP.

TNK-BP is implementing a comprehensive program for elimination of the consequences of active development of the Samotlor field in the Soviet period. Amphibious excavators will be used for remediation of contaminated lands. These excavators are designed for working in swamped areas where conventional equipment is helpless. The company is going to remediate approximately 500 hectares of hard-to-reach areas in the Samotlor field by 2015.

Elena Kompasenko, Vice President, Health, Safety and Environment, explained that TNK-BP has already remediated 3,100 hectares of the contaminated lands inherited by the company from the period of active development of the field since the 1960s.

“Remediation of the remaining lands is very difficult as practically they are impassable bogs, and conventional remediation technologies and equipment do not work there. We are increasing investments into the planned remediation work and buying new equipment to perform this work carefully and efficiently,” she said.