Over 22,820 tonnes of paper and cardboard scrap was collected last year from a few offices of Karachaganak Petroleum Operating BV as a part of a pilot project designed for environmental and climate protection. As a significant operator in the Burlin District, KPO consumes over 100 tonnes of paper. The initiative started in December 2010.
As part of the obligations for the utilisation of waste material and the plan for nature protection efforts, KPO has announced its intent to collect wastepaper for secondary use. When commenting the outcome for the pilot project, Steve Grayson, manager of Infrastructure and Service Department noted KPO aspires to become a role model for the entire oil and gas industry of Kazakhstan.
“Our company’s primary goal is to achieve world level ecological indicators in the Karachaganak project. I hope this project will be successfully applied at various enterprises across the country,” Mr. Grayson stressed.
According to statistical data from Karachaganak Petroleum Operating BV, scrap paper constitutes the majority of the company’s solid waste and it is worth noting that as a result of the pilot initiative, the volume of used paper and cardboard taken to garbage storage in Aksai city has dropped by 22,820 tonnes. As the KPO Press Office reported, in the near future the first train carrying scrap paper is planned for shipment to the Pavlodar recycling plant.
Another equally important stage in the successful project is sustainable personnel training. Workers involved in the project are taught to collect and sort scrap paper. To implement this initiative KPO provides special instruction sessions and presentations.
“In addition the scrap paper collection project incorporates the daily practice for KPO employees of separating wastepaper as well more economical paper use. Such practice also makes it possible to economise energy and natural resources as well as sort wastepaper correctly”.
“Aside from this, the volume of wastepaper taken to garbage storage makes it feasible to improve ecological indicators and increase the efficiency of the company’s operation,” Gaziz Khasanov, manager of labour protection and occupational safety at KPO said.
KPO BV intends to continue working reducing its solid waste and thereby improve the ecological situation at the Karachaganak field. This year, KPO plans to implement this project at all company offices and enhance the level of personnel information content on the need to collect scrap paper and become an example for sub-contractor companies to participate in the project.
It is worth noting that last autumn, the company passed through its second certification audit on labour protection management, occupational safety and ecological management having confirmed its compliance with OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001standards.
KPO General Director Giuseppe Pasi noted that as the international level operator that Karachaganak is, one of KPO’s main goals is to provide maximum high standards in labour protection, occupational safety and environmental protection.
The introduction of OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001 into the KPO management system has made it possible to decrease potential risks related to professional operations of the company workers and its subcontractors, as well as compliance with ISO 14001:2004 standards. This leads to a significant reduction in the negative impact on the environment according to all requirements as per regulatory documents and existing legislation.
In addition, the efficiency of the system affects the quality of nature protection event planning as well as programmes for the consistent improvement of industrial processes including a series of prevention measures, removing problems and conducting regular inspections by the company administration.
Through the adoption of advanced international standards and technology, KPO BV will maintain its industrial impact on the environment at a minimum level. The economical use of crude hydrocarbons and water resources, a reduction in greenhouse gases, highly-toxic waste as well as the elimination of spills and leaks are key components of the environment protection programme launched by KPO.
In one world, the company is the leader of other oil and gas companies in terms of gas utilisation standards and with a 99.92% indicator, which is unprecedented in world practice.
