On
26 April 2023, a Round Table “Ecology in the Port City” was held in
Novorossiysk. The environmental situation in the city became the main topic of
the meeting, specifically, the issues related to the air condition.The
function held in Glebovka village was initiated by the Administration of the of
the inner-city district of the city-hero. Representatives of the mayor's
office, specialized territorial agencies, deputies of the Novorossiysk City
Duma, scientists, experts, healthcare specialists, activists of public
environmental organizations, journalists from leading regional and local media,
and CPC representatives took part in the discussion. The Round Table was
broadcast online in the Glebovka District - Updated subpages in VK and
Telegram.
The
meeting was moderated by Vasily Chumak, Head of the inner-city district of
Novorossiysk City Municipality.
“Novorossiysk was and remains an industrial
city, - noted Vasily Chumak. - The city is recognizable by the cement factories
and the port. That is why, the environmental protection issues are viewed here
through the prism of solving problems of national importance”.
Oleg Filatov, acting
Head of environmental safety office of Novorossiysk Municipality, made a report
to the those present on the status of the air quality control systems and
prospects of monitoring system development.
“The difficulty of detecting pollution
sources by the regulatory authorities is caused by the dispersion of pollutants
in the air and the failure of enterprises to take into account meteorological
conditions”, - emphasized Oleg Filatov.
Oleg Sheffer - representative of the
territorial department of Krasnodar Territory Rospotrebnadzor in the city of
Novorossiysk familiarized those present with the procedure of sampling and
response to complaints from the population. He spoke about the MAC standards
established by law and proposals of the Federal Service for the Regulation of
Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds.
“Over the past year, the number of air
samples that we take have doubled,” - emphasized Oleg Sheffer. - We have
installed two additional points within CPC operation zone and made a proposal
to equip the permanent station of automatic quality control within CPC area and
use tankers for crude loading equipped with recuperation units”.
The report on the composition of CPC Blend crude
vapor was made by Sergey Litvinets, a well-known scientist-biotechnologist,
Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation of the Federal State Budgetary
Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education "Vyatka State
University", Candidate of Agricultural Sciences. He elaborated on odor
marker substances in the composition of atmospheric emissions during the
loading of liquid hydrocarbons into tankers. He compared the quantitative value
of such substances in the atmosphere with the established maximum permissible
concentrations. He analyzed the odor emissions in the odor units per hour
(OU/h) measured by dynamic olfactometry in accordance with GOST R 58578-2019
"Rules for establishing standards and controlling odor emissions into the
atmosphere”. The research deliverables helped to generate a working hypothesis,
according to which the composition of CPC Blend vapor contains volatile
substances with an unpleasant odor, which becomes perceptible when present in
the air in ultra-low concentrations. Due to the remoteness of the loading
facilities from the shore and taking into account the dispersion of emissions,
the presence of such substances in the residential area will not exceed the
maximum permissible concentrations. Report presentation
“Having studied the composition of CPC Blend
by olfactometry, we found that this oil grade differs from the others in the
presence of seven types of mercaptans (thiols). The human body has a very high
sensitivity to mercaptans and will perceive their smell when MAC are not
exceeded," - Sergey Litvinets noted in his speech.
Yuri Karpenko, General Director of ANO
Scientific Research Institute of Human Ecology and Environmental Hygiene, PhD,
gave an expert assessment of the current situation: “I can responsibly say that
there is no threat to the life and health of residents. There are irritants;
they are caused by an inherent genetic sensitivity to mercaptans as hazard
markers. But if they were a health hazard, thiols would not be used on an
industrial scale to odorize natural gas. Speaking of oncology, it should be
noted that in Novorossiysk the statistics of diseases is lower than in other
settlements of Krasnodar Krai”.
Statistical data on morbidity in the
municipality was given by Alexander Kanakin, Chief Physician of the State
Budgetary Institution Outpatient Clinic No. 1 of Novorossiysk: “Over the past
three years, there has been no increase in the incidence of asthma. The
increase in the number of cancer cases during the same period has decreased.
Mortality statistics have not changed. There have been no complaints of gas
vapor poisoning recorded. The data provided by this and the previous rapporteur
prove that there is no linear correlation between CPC operation activities and
the local population’s health, and the environmental situation is stable.
In
her report, Arina Nikolaeva, CPC-R Environmental Protection Manager, Ph.D.,
familiarized the Round Table participants with the measures taken and being
taken by the Consortium as part of the Action Plan to reduce odors at CPC
Marine Terminal. These include continuous monitoring and analysis of complaints
from the local population, instrumental control of air quality at the
boundaries of the sanitary protection zones of CPC Marine Terminal Tank Farm
and Shore Facilities with residential development in coordination with
Rospotrebnadzor and independent laboratories. In January 2023, an atmospheric
air quality control system (AQСS) which included a permanent station and
portable gas analyzers was put into pilot operation. The data on the air
condition and pollutants present in the air are publicly available.
CPC
has commissioned a set of scientific studies aimed at developing technologies
and technical solutions to reduce pollutant emissions during loading.
Possibilities of neutralization and deodorization of substances that cause
unpleasant odors are are being examined. A conceptual solution of a
quick-release filter element for tanker mastraisers in typical oil loading
conditions has been developed. As part of R&D, the technology for
absorption recovery of thiols in emissions is being developed. Report presentation
In
the course of the further discussion, the City Administration representatives,
activists of public environmental organizations and residents discussed the
issues of recovery of vapors from oil tankers, possible innovations and
regulatory initiatives. All proposals were minuted and the minutes were handed
to Novorossiysk Municipality Administration.
For
information:
CPC Pipeline
System is one of the major investment projects with foreign capital in energy
sector in the CIS. The length of the Tengiz – Novorossiysk pipeline is 1,511
km. This route transports over two-thirds of all Kazakhstan export crude, as
well as crude from Russian oil fields, including those in the Caspian Region.
CPC Marine Terminal is equipped with three Single Point Moorings (SPM) that
allow to load tankers safely at a significant distance offshore, also amid poor
weather conditions.
CPC Shareholders:
Federal Agency for State Property Management represented by Transneft (trust
management) – 24%, CPC Company – 7%, KazmunayGas – 19%, Kazakhstan Pipeline
Ventures LLC – 1.75%, Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Company – 15%,
LUKARCO B.V. - 12.5%, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company– 7.5%, Rosneft-Shell
Caspian Ventures Limited– 7.5%, BG Overseas Holding Limited– 2%, Eni
International N.A. N.V. S.ar.l. – 2% and Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC – 1.75%.