October 2006

16.10.2006
Environmental Issue is One of RussNeft’s Priorities
Ecological safety has always been a spotlight for OAO Saratovneftegaz (which falls within RussNeft’s structure); in 2006 alone the company plans to allocate 25.5 mln. rubles to environmental measures. The company works hard on depreciated pipelines replacement, oil-alime utilization, acres reclamation and environmental impact of production operation minimization.

Unfortunately, during the Soviet times ecological issues did not get proper attention, that is why oil industry workers’ unresolved issues have been accumulated like a snowball since then. OAO Saratovneftegaz, being aware of ecological problems accumulated over many years, aims at resolving them through allocating funds to environmental measures. Instances of latest times – the consolidation of the left bank of the Volgograd storage pond was fulfilled with the help of capital investment, a gas complex treatment unit was installed at the Razumov collecting point, owing to that atmospheric emissions have been reduced.

Considerable amounts of oil-alime have been accumulated since the beginning of oil fields development in the Saratov region. Therefore, Saratovneftegaz takes measures to liquidate them. In particular, settling ponds of Sokolovogorsk head facilities have been liquidated. Around 9000 cubic m of wastes were neutralized. Acres reclamation was fulfilled at the former points of settling ponds. In 2006 a few oil stores have been liquidated. Contaminated acres reclamation will also be fulfilled on pipelines routes by the end of 2006.

Source: Radio station "Echo Moskvy in Saratov"