Kazakhstanskaya Pravda
By Ludmila KORINA
It is not an easy mission to ensure the absolute safety of people and the environment against the impact and consequences of the exploration of natural resources, especially if a filed is one of the largest in the world. Karachaganak is one of these. According to expert calculations, the hydrocarbon reserves at this field are sufficient for at least 4 decades of production. For this period of time, a consortium of international companies has signed a Final Production Sharing Agreement for the field operation.
The environmental programme being implemented by KPO consists of two main directions. The first of these is the application of modern technologies and the construction of nature preservation facilities. Simultaneously, there are some complex problems remaining from the previous operator that need to be resolved.
Overall, the first area has a goal that totally corresponds to the field’s production potential. Karachaganak is driven to become one of the leading projects in the world, being developed at the highest level of ecological practices.
Today, the field’s development has been completed. This means that a number of structures required for moving to the operational stage have been built. However, Karachaganak was one vast construction area for several years, and the construction was conducted taking into consideration the strict requirements made for environmental protection, machinery and production lines.
The most progressive experience and qualified personnel, in combination with consistent control provide a certain shield around the production area, securing the environment against the negative impact of the exploration process and the processing of hydrocarbon materials.
Roger Fox, the general director of Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V., noted that KPO actively promotes a culture where ownership of safety and environment protections is shared across the organisation and the contractors. At Karachaganak, production facilities have sustained a fundamental modernisation, following which, the waste products have been reduced greatly. An integral strategy aimed at a minimisation of the technogenic impact has been developed. This strategy includes the application of ecologically safe so-called, “green burners,” which do not accumulate ash or micro-materials. The fourth additional compressor has been placed into operation, which allows for redirecting 97% of the gas back into the production process, rather than burning it in flares.
Karachaganak is the world’s first field that has applied gas re-injection, simultaneously allowing for increasing formational pressure and extracting a large amount of liquefied gas. The sulphur that is extracted along with the hydrocarbon materials is also re-injected. This is also a very positive ecological factor.
The installation of methanol regeneration equipment purifies drilling fluids for secondary utilisation. Following the launch of this equipment, the extraction of drinkable underground water has been reduced. The careful utilisation of waste products is also of great importance. Some modern structures have been constructed that allow for the recycling of waste materials into harmless compounds. The generators at the electrical stations of the Karachaganak Processing Complex are equipped with a unique dry-combustion system, acknowledged as one of the world’s best.
The list of innovative practices and applied progressive techniques could continue, but before reaching the new quality standards, KPO first had to hold cleanup operations.
Following the discontinuation of (Soviet) economic ties and the sudden crisis; the deposit was essentially at a standstill. 28 drilling rigs were restored, and the consequences of the terrible accident that took place 20 years ago continue being cleaned up today. At the time, an enormously strong geyser of gas, oil and condensate mixture gushed from below the ground surface. A gigantic flare was ignited instantly, and in order to extinguish the fire, the efforts of both regular Kazakhstani firefighting units and specially-trained firefighters from other states of the USSR were brought together. When it was all over, it was later found that the poisonous mixture that exploded from underneath the ground had covered 50 hectares of the earth’s surface.
As soon as the consortium of the famous world-wide companies such as the BG Group, Eni, Chevron, and LUKoil began exploring Karachaganak, a project was developed aimed at the complete reclamation of the damaged zone. Both Kazakhstani and foreign scientists were brought together to develop appropriate options for resolving the issue. World experience with such problems was studied carefully, and a tender was later announced for carrying up rehabilitation work. The West Kazakhstan State University came out the winner in the open competition. Beginning in 2000, scientists from the institute along with experts from KPO literally began restoring the damaged land.
It is specifically worth noting that better than anything; the technologies that KPO applies towards resolving ecological problems portray KPO’s efficient and careful approach toward the environment. The abovementioned catastrophe essentially hardened the earth’s surface in the area, and ever since, has turned it into a technogenic wasteland. When it rained or snowed, the water would penetrate into the soil but would not evaporate. The dead valley gradually turned into a wetland. While extinguishing the fire, several so-called unloading wells were drilled, which also helped a little. The process of ploughing also assisted in drying the land, but took more than an entire summer season. The waste material that covered the land assumed varied levels of thickness over the entire area. The concentration of contaminating products also differed, and therefore, the total polluted area was divided into several sections and an individual cartogram was created for their restoration, which was presented like a calendar plan outlining the individual stages, forms and terms of implementation.
A number of options for restoring the area were considered. It was immediately decided against digging up the top layer of waste and burying the remainder, as a tremendous threat would remain of a negative impact deep underground for a long time to come. There was also no point in covering the land with clean, uncontaminated topsoil, as the root system of any plants that grew there would be destroyed. It was therefore acknowledged that the most promising option to restore the land would be re-cultivation and agro-biological recovery.
For two years in a row, barley was planted on the land. Barley is a salt-resistant plant, and the harvest was taken care of very well by fertilizers and minerals. In the third year, wheat grass, which does not require steady and regular care, was planted. The scientists believed that the root system would affect the soil structure favorably. It has been calculated that all of the negative consequences of the fire will be eliminated not before 2010.
Another ecological project is the study of the impact of Karachaganak’s “breath” on the process of ripening agricultural crops. For this purpose, grain, oil-bearing crops, grains, and legumes harvested in this region were planted on the experimental field located nearby the deposit. Minimum agricultural care followed, and fertilizers were intentionally withheld, and difficult conditions were created artificially for the ripening of the harvest. Nevertheless, crop productivity turned out to be higher than average, according to statistical data on this area. The project was conducted within a three-year time period. According to the results of this experiment, it is planned to develop recommendations, including on optimal technologies for efficient land cultivation for the farmers of the Burlin district, where the deposit is situated.
A consistent environmental monitoring system has been developed. Automatic observation stations have been installed all over the production zone, which make careful observations over the slightest digression from the norms. In addition, highly-accurate mobile equipment is being used for the monitoring process. An independent company - Gidromet LTD monitors the air quality at the field and surrounding areas. Its professionals analyse about 110,000 samples of atmosphere annually. KPO ecologists cooperate with the Oblast Territorial Environmental Department.
One cannot help but mention the fact that the residents of the settlements that are situated particularly close to the field are consistently informed on the results of the monitoring. This approach has justified itself and the reason is very simple: there are no rumours and fantasies present when accurate and up-to-date information is provided.
Subsequently, the local residents take part in discussions of the planned stages of the project implementation and its main directions for further development. Thus, the 4th Stabilisation and Sweetening Train construction at the Karachaganak Processing Complex was discussed during public hearings that took place at the end of 2006. Naturally, people were especially interested in what impact the project would have on the environment. The KPO specialists informed them that the operation of the train would only make it possible to increase the production and export of hydrocarbons by nearly one third. Officials from the Kazakh Institute of Oil and Gas provided their own calculations of the potential hazards related to the construction, and operation of the new facility. These experts also reported that the risks amounted to practically zero, thanks to the modern and safe technologies that are being used. All of the remarks and proposals that were made during the public hearings were taken into consideration. As a whole, the project received approval from all those attending; as it is only after this that implementation could take place.
There is never such a thing as too much knowledge. Therefore, world experience is studied thoroughly. Thus, a group of specialists from KPO’s Environment Department visited Canada during late 2006. The purpose of the visit was to become familiarised with the ecological protection methods being applied by CCS Income Trust. This is a very famous corporation offering international standard energy services. The experience in the implementation of fixed documentation on the observation of standards related to oil and gas based operations management was especially useful.
Requirements made for the observation of safety on the part of KPO B.V. have been and are always unalterably high. For example, drilling rig #216 operated for four years or 640,000 man hours without any accidents or lost time incidents. Its experience has been recommended for study and application on the part of other drilling teams. The staff of the entire company is strongly interested in the safe operation. At the same time, a public opinion is being formed that is strongly critical of violators, as the observation of regulations and rules has come to be considered as not only obligatory, but also admirable.
KPO’s achievements in the area of ecology have been recognised in Kazakhstan as well as abroad. Time after time, the results of their continuous work aimed at preserving the environmental balance has been noted with international awards. In October of last year in Warsaw, the working conference of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe took place, during which it was noted that close cooperation and the adjusted work of enterprises and companies in extractive industries would allow for improving the ecological situation greatly.
KPO representative, and Coordinator of the Environmental Monitoring Group, Serik Kadraliyev introduced a number of suggestions that were later included into the Enhancement of Environmental Monitoring and Reporting project. Work on the harmonization of the new monitoring standards was later continued in Geneva with the participation of environmental authorities of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Serik Kadraliyev was invited to take part in the working group session once again. Such facts are very important for KPO, because the company obtains an opportunity to affect the creation of environmental protection legislation on an international scale.
Certainly, other large-scale work on the exploration and development of the field cannot take place without problems, including ecological, but as a rule, they can be put to effective and regular solution. The results of the constant monitoring have demonstrated that there are not any negative changes in the regional flora. In terms of animals, there are some signs of increases in the number of individual species. The figures are the most solid argument available. On this basis, for the last several years, KPO has invested over $100 million for environmental protection.
