KPO is committed to carry out its production activities with a minimal impact on biodiversity and ecosystems.  At the same time, the Company has taken over the responsibility for conducting the biodiversity research in the territory of its activities.

 

The Karachaganak Oil and Gas Condensate Field (KOGCF) is situated in the dry steppe zone in the North-West of Qazaqstan with an area in excess of 280 km2.  The area of KPO operations is limited, since the official land use right has been granted for the areas located right under the field industrial facilities, pipelines and roads.   The areas around the KPO facilities are in the ownership and stewardship of a number of other stakeholders.

 

For transportation of stabilized liquid hydrocarbons from the Karachaganak field, the Karachaganak-Atyrau export pipeline (KATS) was put in operation in 2004.   This is a 24” diameter buried pipeline with total length of 635,5 km running from North to South from the Karachaganak Processing Complex (KPC) to Atyrau on the Caspian Sea.  Two pumping stations are located in Bolshoi Chagan and on KPC, and one product receiving and storage facility is in Atyrau.

 

The KATS route in WKO crosses the Zhaiyk River (Ural), several small rivers (Utva, Karaoba, Barbastau, Peschanaya, Solyanka, Bagyrlay), the Kushumsky and Sokorsky canals, as well as many small irrigation canals.

 

The KATS route in Atyrau Oblast crosses Bagyrlay, Naiza, Aksai, Naryn, Baksai, Qursai, Qara (Black) rivers.

 

According to the KPO-AL-SEC-PRO-00001-E "Area of Enhanced Controls in Karachaganak Field" procedure, all types of hunting and fishing are prohibited on the KOGCF territory.

 

KPO Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) is one of the measures aimed at preventing ecosystem disturbance and biodiversity reduction. This plan is based on the assessment of the risks of activities and potential environmental impact, and developed in accordance with the methodology stipulated in Standard 1.3.1.47 ESHIA and the Guide to preserving biodiversity measures for the oil and gas industry published by IPIECA / IOGP associations. 

 

KOGCF main ecosystems <sup>GRI 304-1</sup>

The main ecosystems of the KOGCF include three broad categories: agricultural ecosystems, steppe ecosystems, aquatic and riverine ecosystems. Moreover, the remainder of the field area is occupied by anthropogenic areas: roads, production facilities and infrastructure.

 

Agricultural Ecosystem

Agricultural and fallow lands are the dominant type of ecosystems at the KOGCF and adjacent areas. This includes fields that are intensively cultivated for crops, and fallow fields.
Fallow lands are characterized by different stages of natural vegetation cover restoration, ranging from weed to wormwood and steppe communities. The forecast restoration period of natural steppe vegetation lasts about 25-30 years.

Steppe Ecosystem

Steppes are one of two major ecosystems (steppe and riverine) characterizing the natural state of the KOGCF territory.

 

At present, the distribution of steppe ecosystems is patchy occurring mostly along river valleys and gullies, i.e. areas remained unploughed.

 

The plant communities are floristically rich and home to a wide range of animals. There is a significant diversity of ornithofauna, both permanently and temporarily inhabiting steppe ecosystems.

 

Because of the international declines in steppe ecosystems, even the small amounts found at the KOGCF are of importance for nature conservation.

Aquatic and Riverine Ecosystems

The KOGCF is located in the basin of the Berezovka River, which lies between the Ilek and Utva Rivers.

 

The Konchubai Gully is fed by two main tributaries, the larger of which is the Kalminovka Gully.

 

Riverine ecosystems is a home to a wide range of rare and common species of plant and animals.

Essential species of flora and fauna recorded within the KOGCF <sup>GRI 304-4</sup>

The KOGCF area is a home to a big variety of plant and animal species, amongst them there are species red-listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), by Qazaqstan, and species rare at the KOGCF.  It is important for KPO to consider the presence of these species when planning or undertaking operations in the area.  However, it is not appropriate to consider their presence or numbers as indicators of the Company’s environmental performance. This is because the species population is subject to changes that may occur due to forces operating at global or landscape scales and are not related directly to the KPO operations.  Any fluctuations in the abundance of these species would need to be seen in a wider context of trends in a species population.  In its turn, KPO strives to undertake its operations in such a way as not to cause direct or indirect impacts on individual species populations.  In the process of monitoring the flora and fauna at the Karachaganak field being conducted since 2012, no negative effect on the flora and fauna species’ habitats from the KPO's production activities has been observed.


In 2024 as part of monitoring of key species of fauna number, a thorough survey of abundance and habitats of river beaver (castor fiber) species was carried out.     

 

Settlements of river beaver (castor fiber) are found in water reservoirs throughout the entire KOGCF territory and the Sanitary Protection Zone. The number and total areas inhabited by beavers depend on the water level in the reservoirs. In the spring period of 2024, the water level in most reservoirs in the KOGCF and SPZ territory has increase significantly against the 2021 springtime level. The increased water level provoked a migration of beavers settling in their earlier abandoned older habitats where there had been no water in 2021.

 

KPO will continue to monitor the population of beavers residing in the KOGCF territory.

 

As a specially controlled species of flora, KPO keeps records of the population dynamics of the Russian fritillary (Fritillaria ruthenica), a rare species confined to the territory of the water protection zone. Discovered in 2022, the population of Russian hazel grouse was recorded in the phase of sustainable mass fruiting.  When monitoring the state of the species, no signs of the influence of the deposit on the population of the Russian fritillary were found.

 

The main significant species of great importance for the ecosystem, recorded at the KOGCF during the studies of 1990-2024 are shown in the table below.   All these species are also found outside of the KOGCF.

 

Species

IUCN Category

Kazakhstan Red Data Book

Locally rare species (in the KOGCF)

Years recorded

Flowering plants

1

Carnation andrzejowskianus (Dianthus andrzejowski)

-

KRDB II

2008, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2022

2

Woodland tulip

(Tulipa biebersteiniana)

-

KRDB III

2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2022

3

Eastern pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens)

-

KRDB II

2010, 2015, 2016, 2019

4

Fritillary

(Fritillaria ruthenica)

-

-

2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2022

5

Schrenck's tulip

(Tulipa shrenkii)

-

KRDB III

2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2022

6

Hairy adonis

(Adonis villosa)

-

KRDB II

2016

7

Spring adonis

(Adonis vernalis)

-

KRDB II

2016, 2019, 2022

8

Fischer’s star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum fischerianum)

-

KRDB III

2013, 2016, 2019, 2022

9

Snake's head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)

-

-

2016

Birds

10

Demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo)

LC

KRDB V

1990, 1991, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024

11

Eurasian eagle-owl
(Bubo bubo)

LC

KRDB II

-

1991, 2016, 2021, 2024

12

Eastern imperial eagle
(Aquila heliaca)

VU

KRDB III

2002, 2003, 2010, 2024

13

European roller

(Coracias garrulous)

 NT

-

2001, 2010, 2021, 2024

14

Lesser kestrel

(Falco naumanni)

LC

-

2004, 2015

15

Little bustard

(Tetrax tetrax)

NT

KRDB II

1990-1991, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2021, 2024

16

Mute swan

(Cygnus olor)

LC

-

2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024

17

Osprey

(Pandion haliaetus)

LC

KRDB I

-

1990

18

Pale harrier

(Circus macrourus)

NT

2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2021

19

Red-footed falcon

(Falco vespertinus)

NT

-

2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024

20

Steppe eagle
(Aquila nipalensis)

NT

KRDB V

2002, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2021, 2024

21

White-tailed Sea-eagle
(Haliaeetus albicilla)

LC

KRDB II

2004, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024

22

Eurasian Buzzard

(Buteo buteo)

NT

KRDB V

-

2024

23

White-headed Duck

(Oxyura leucocephala)

NT

KRDB I

-

2024

Mammals

24

Eurasian beaver

(Castor fiber)

LC

-

-

2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024

25

Russian Desman

(Desmana moschata)

VU

KRDB II

-

26

Pine Marten

(Martes martes)

LC

KRDB III

-

27

European Mink

(Mustela lutreola)

NT

KRDB I

-

Reptiles

28

Orsini's viper
(Vipera ursini)

VU

-

2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2024,

Insects

29

Blue Emperor
(dragonfly) (Anax imperator)

VU

KRDB II

2010

30

Bolivar's ShortWinged Mantis
(Bolivaria brachyptera)

VU

KRDB II

2010, 2020

31

Scoliid wasps (Scolia hirta)

VU

KRB II

2020

 

 

 

Essential flora and fauna species recorded along the KATS route GRI 304-4

 

 

 

As a result of the field study conducted in 2023 and 2024 in flora baseline study and vegetation sampling spots located along the Karachaganak-Atyrau oil pipeline route and the adjacent territory, key flora species listed in the table below were recorded: Carnation andrzejowskianus  (Dianthus andrzejowski), Woodland tulip (Tulipa biebersteiniana), Schrenck's tulip (Tulipa shrenkii), Sogdian tulip (Tulipa sogdiana), Fischer's star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum fischeranum), White waterlily (Nymphaea alba) and a flora representative under special supervision – Russian fritillary (Fritillaria ruthenica).

 

Main significant species of special importance for the ecosystem recorded along the KATS route within the WKO borders in the period of vegetation diversity baseline study in 2023 have been included in the table below:

 

No.

Species

IUCN Category

Kazakhstan Red Data Book

Local rare species in the KOGCF

Years of record

West Kazakhstan Oblast - Flowering plants

1

Carnation andrzejowskianus (Dianthus andrzejowski)

LC

KRDB II

2023

2

Woodland tulip

(Tulipa biebersteiniana)

LC

KRDB III

2023

3

Schrenck's tulip

(Tulipa shrenkii)

LC

KRDB III

2023

4

Fritillary

(Fritillaria ruthenica)

LC

-

2023

5

Fischer's star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum fischeranum)

LC

KRDB III

2023

6

White water lily

(Nymphaea alba)

LC

KRDB II

2023

Atyrau Oblast - Flowering plants

7

Schrenck's tulip
(Tulipa shrenkii)

LC

KRDB III

2024

8

Sogdian tulip
(Tulipa sogdiana)

-

-

2024

 

The following categories are used in the table:

 

  • NT: Near threatened — usually species whose population are declining to the extent that they will soon qualify for a higher IUCN threat category (International Union for the Conservation of Nature).
  • VU: Vulnerable — include the species with high risk of extinction in the wild.
  • LC: Least concern - species evaluated against the IUCN criteria that do not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened.   Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category (species in this group are not included in the count of internationally rare species).
  • KRDB:   Kazakhstan Red Data Book- species that are recognized as nationally rare in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan, Roman numerals indicate the various rarity categories with Category I - the rarest species, and Category V - the least rare.