OREANDA-NEWS.  September 25, 2012. Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. held public hearings at WKO akimat office related to the 2013 Environment Protective Measures Plan.

The 2013 Environmental Protective Measure Plan consists of 10 main sections and has 38 actions.

Representatives from the Oblast Environment Department, as well as the Members of the District Maslikhat, representatives of the Burlin  Akimat and Karachaganak Field adjacent villages, members of initiative activist groups, community and  mass media representatives  took part in the hearings.

Since beginning of   operatorship over the Karachaganak field, from 1998 to July 2012, KPO have invested its own funds for implementation of environmental protective measures .in total amount of 32,5 billion tenge.

At the hearings, the KPO representatives presented both qualitative and quantitative estimated emission figures.  In addition, the attendees have been provided with information on which degree the emissions might affect the major aspects of the environment such as air, subsurface waters, soil, flora and fauna.

Successful implementation of activities aimed to air protection allowed significant reduction of volumes of pollutant emissions into the air generated as result of hydrocarbons production, including the following: pollutant emissions reduced by 51% during 2006 – 2011, specific emissions reduced by 65% (per 1 million m3 of gas produced), gas utilization reached 99.92%

Furthermore, 53 ha of lands contaminated as a result of accident on well 427 were restored up to the level of agricultural lands, more than 1000 ha of lands contaminated due to well operations and construction activities have been re-cultivated upon implementation of land resources conservation actions.

As part of activities on minimisation of waste volume and its environmental impact, Company constructed the modern Eco-Centre for treatment and disposal of production and household waste. The Eco-Centre meets the international standards on  drilling mud fluids and sludge recycling and environmentally safe disposal.

More than 1 million of trees and bushes have been planted in the area of more than 500 ha within KOGCF and SPZ area.

Total costs of environment protection plan implementation in 2013 will reach 7.1 billion KZ tenge.

KPO representatives noted that water resources conservation, wastes management and consumption, also air protection are  the key priorities.

In the follow-up discussions, the community, government authorities and mass media representatives had an opportunity to ask questions about 2013 KPO Environment Protective Measures Plan and to make their suggestions and remarks. All of them will be included into the final Minutes of the public hearings.

As a whole, the 2013 Environment Protective Measures Plan received the public’s approval.

The information on KPO environmental activity is available on www.kpo.kz web-site, in mass media and KPO Sustainability Report annually issued by the Company and verified by an independent external party.