ҚазРусEng
KPO DISAGREES WITH CHARGES OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW VIOLATION

Almaty. March 19. Interfax-Kazakhstan - Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (KPO), developing Karachaganak deposit in West Kazakhstan oblast says Kazakhstan's charges of environmental law violation are ungrounded.

“KPO firmly believe that all RoK legislative and regulatory requirements have been followed by the Venture with respect to environmental reporting. KPO does not believe that any RoK environmental legislation has been breached," KPO told Interfax-Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

According to the news release, KPO "did not have an opportunity to submit the required documentation to the Burlin District tax committee, due to the refusal of the West Kazakhstan Oblast Environmental Protection Department (WKO EPD) to approve the calculation of payments for emissions."

Despite the WKO EPD’s refusal to approve the calculations and KPO’s advance payment of the estimated taxation amount in October 2007, the Committee elected to suspend KPO’s Kazakhstan bank accounts, it is indicated in the statement.

KPO firmly believe that all its action were in accordance with RoK legislation. Consequently, KPO appealed to the Inter-District Economic Court of the city of Uralsk the actions of the WKO EPD. On the 5 March the Court delivered a judgment in favor of KPO having confirmed that the refusals of WKO EPD to approve tax reports for the third and fourth quarters of 2007 were unlawful and unfounded," it is indicated in the statement.

Regarding the recent decision, to penalize KPO for KZT1.8 billion for allegedly unauthorized air emissions "KPO disagrees with the position of WKO EPD and is currently protecting its position in the RoK courts."

KPO remains committed to the highest standards of environment performance. Over the last three years, there has been a significant decrease in emission volumes. In 2007, KPO achieved gas utilization of some 99.65%. The Venture is focused on minimizing its environmental impacts through the use of best available techniques and the adoption of international good oil field practice," it is underlined in the statement.