OREANDA-NEWS. October 31, 2012. TATNEFT is completing the second year of the program to clear forest corridors for overhead lines removing shrubbery and trees threatening to fall on the power lines, reported the press-centre of TATNEFT. 

The annual plan for clearing forest corridors has been formed on the basis of schedules approved by Chief Engineers of the Oil & Gas Production Boards of TATNEFT.

The program has been designed to clear forest corridors for a 5 years period and the second year’s program is being now implemented. The activities for clearing trails overhead line routes were prepared in 2011 jointly with the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan. Performance of these activities was prompted by abnormal weather conditions in December 2010, when the trees sagged under the weight of ice. This resulted in short circuiting and wire breakage. Based on the analysis of the effects of the December anomaly the Company developed a program to enhance the stability of power transmission lines to the natural anomalous phenomena.

The practice of the work originally aimed at the selective cutting of diseased trees showed that it did not provide for the power lines full security: the vagaries of weather this way or another imply falling of healthy trees and branches as well. Following a series of joint meetings of the management of the Company and the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan with the direct participation of the Republican leadership the issue was resolved. At the moment, teams of woodcutters perform solid clearing of forest corridors for overhead power lines: an average of 20 meters on each side of the line depending on the trees height (clearing width of 4 meters in each direction was applied before 2011).

United efforts of the Company’s power engineers and the teams of woodcutters ("Elkhovles" acts as a general subcontractor) have today used all the strength and means to ensure the primary objectives: providing for the lines security. The work started right after the snow melting is planned to be completed in November this year. According to the program in 2012 TATNEFT shall have to perform the forest corridors clearance for the overhead lines long at the distance of 522 km covering an area of 1247 hectares.

Recycling of the woods cutting remains at the cleared forest areas is carried out by mulching. Mulching is the most progressive way to clear the area of tree and shrubbery vegetation. The technology has established itself as the most effective, economical and environmentally friendly.