Oil Spill Prevention and Response

Continuous preparedness for emergency oil spill response is an absolute priority for us.

The Caspian Sea is a unique natural water body which fragile ecosystem is particularly sensitive to oil pollution due to its enclosed nature. We have high requirements for environmental safety of offshore oil operations: before commencing any work, we conduct baseline environmental surveys in contract areas and assess our potential social and environmental impacts, as well as impact monitoring, emission monitoring and emergency monitoring – during and after operations.

Prior to offshore drilling operations, we ensure that we are always prepared to respond to all possible emergency oil spills. Once the work is completed, we conduct continuous environmental monitoring of abandoned wells. Monitoring of abandoned wells in the contract areas includes observation of air quality, sea water and bottom sediment pollution, biodiversity status, as well as laboratory testing, photo and video recording of the wellheads of abandoned wells.

In our offshore operations, we strictly adhere to the following principles:

• Strict compliance with design solutions
• Zero discharges principle – all waste and waste water are removed to the shore
• Provision of fish protection devices for all floating crafts, no bilge water
• Operations are prohibited during spawning season from 1 April to 15 July
• Fishing from industrial vessels is prohibited
• Well testing and raw hydrocarbon flaring are prohibited at night
• Observing of special use conditions.

OIL SPILL VOLUME(tonnes)

The main cause of oil spills in the Company is oilfield pipeline ruptures caused by corrosion processes. As a result of a manifold rupture and due to wear and tear of the steel part of the pipe, a spill may occur. The Company carries out work to clean up oily soil and transport oil-water emulsion to a wastewater tank with subsequent transfer to a third-party companies for treatment. During the biological remediation process, perennial plants appropriate to the species composition were planted.

In 2023, the KMG Group of Companies was 119 cases of  oil spills were recorded. All incidents of oil spills are recorded on land during hydrocarbon extraction and transportation. There were no offshore oil spills.

The Company continues work to reduce the number of oilfield pipeline failures and ruptures by performing timely and high-quality pipeline inspection, reconstruction, replacement, inhibition and cleaning to improve pipeline integrity and reliability.

In close cooperation with law enforcement agencies, KazTransOil JSC has overcame the situation with criminal illegal tie-ins into the Company’s pipelines. Over the last 4 years, criminal tie-ins into trunk pipelines have been reduced to zero (in 2019, two tie-ins were identified, the damage amounted to KZT 6.4 mln; in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, no criminal tie-ins were detected).

This has been achieved largely as a result of the following actions:

• Strengthening the monitoring of mobile teams using GPS systems and timely rounds and inspections of oil pipelines by mobile teams;
• Oil pipeline protection by means of Optosense monitoring system.

Continuous preparedness for emergency oil spill response (EOSR) is an absolute priority for us.

Initiative to Develop Volunteering in Emergency Oil Spill Response

KMG Group continues to focus on volunteering in EORS. Within the framework of the EOSR Volunteering Development Programme, KMG Systems & Services LLP conducted EOSR training for the 14th and 15th volunteer streams on 16 September, 29 October, 25 November 2023, attended by locals of Mangistau region. The training was attended by students of Aktau Universities. The total number of trained volunteers was more than 200 people.

The training was held in Aktau at EOSR base in Umirzak Village.

On 6 and 20 May 2023, EOSR training conducted for the 7th, 8th and 9th volunteer streams, attended by locals of Atyrau region. The training was attended by students of Atyrau Universities.

The total number of trained volunteers to date was more than 113 people. The training was held in Atyrau at the North Caspian Environmental Oil Spill Response Base (NCEOSR) in Damba.