Air monitoring by automatic EMSs ^{GRI 413-1}

18 automatic EMS are installed within the Karachaganak Field and along the perimeter of the SPZ (EMS 001 — 018). The environmental monitoring stations are integrated into the single automatic environmental monitoring system.

Four out of 18 EMSs are located at the field and within the SPZ. The stations 005 — 018 were relocated to new locations in accordance with the Project for EMS relocation to the boundary of the new estimated SPZ, which was completed in December 2021. As of the end of 2021, there are 13 EMSs located at the ESPZ boundary: 006 — 018. EMS 005 was relocated to a site near Aksai.

Annual average concentrations of monitored components at the boundary of the SPZ in 2022 are shown in the table below. The column ‘Actual annual average concentration’ in both tables shows the minimum and maximum values of average concentrations of the controlled air components by each EMS.

The annual average concentrations of the monitored air components recorded by EMS in 2022

 

1MPC one-time is a maximum permissible one-time concentration of a chemical substance (in mg/m³) in the ambient air of settlements. This concentration shall not cause a reflex response in human bodies (delay of a breath, irritation of eyes, upper respiratory tract, etc.) in case of 20-30 min of inhalation.

 

2Criteria of air quality at the SPZ boundary is MPC one-time. EMS are configured to give a signal when the MPC one-time is exceeded.

 

All EMSs take measurement of the four main pollutants (H₂S, SO₂, NO₂, CO) on a continuous basis, i.e. 24 hours per day.

According to the data received from the EMSs in 2021, the actual daily, monthly, quarterly and annual average concentrations of the monitored components did not exceed the established sanitary and hygienic limits.

However, on June 13 and 14, 2022, EMS-017 registered two cases of a 20-minute exceedance of the maximum permitted concentration of hydrogen sulphide and on September 27, one case was registered by EMS-007. Pursuant to the requirement of the RoQ Environmental Code (Sub-item 8 Item 2 Article 184), the Company sent a notification regarding the exceedance recorded at EMS-017 and EMS-007 to the WQO Environmental Department.

It should be noted that no connection was found between the exceedance shown in Table 30 and the KPO field facilities operations. The review of the KPO field operations, considering the meteorological parameters at the time of the MPC one-time exceedance, has shown that all production facilities were in normal operation with no flaring events, no equipment failures or emergencies recorded. No direct H2S sources revealed among KPO facilities. At the moment of MPC exceedance recorded by EMS-007 KPO facilities were fully stopped for turnaround.

Exceedances of one-time MPC recorded by EMS’s in 2022

No gas odour complaints from the local communities adjacent to the KOGCF were raised on the date the MPC exceedances were recorded.

Air quality data from all 18 KPO automatic EMSs are transmitted online to the West-Qazaqstan Oblast Environmental Department via the Ecomonitor portal.