Atyrau Oblast Maslikhat Deputies’ Visit to Atyrau PS

On 20 June 2023, CPC-K received a request from Arman Khairullin, Chairman of the Standing Commission on Ecology, Nature Management and Agrarian Issues of Atyrau Oblast Maslikhat, "to issue a permit to take air samples on the territory of the facility located in the northern part of the city, specifically, near the pump station and tank farm". The permit was issued of 21 June, simultaneously, the procedure for granting access to the PS as a regime facility was communicated to the requesting party: a state license for the environmental activities, accreditation certificate of the analytical laboratory measuring atmospheric air quality and certificates of calibration of atmospheric air quality measuring devices should be provided in advance.

It should be noted that all CPC's operation facilities, including the PS, are restricted areas, as regulated by Kazakhstan's legal and regulatory acts, and by CPC approved internal regulations. The PS maintains a special security regime, both physical and operational. Access to the PS territory is granted under the approved procedure.

In addition, it is prohibited to use electrical appliances in unprotected version, in particular household cell phones and smartphones, within Atyrau PS. Photographs and videos may only be taken using explosion- and fire-protected devices and with the appropriate authorization, with additional safety measures. It is forbidden to use flash or other additional lighting devices.

On 14 August 2023, CPC-K received a second request from Arman Khairullin asking to arrange a tour of the Company's facilities located near the city of Atyrau. The permission was issued on 15 August and on 17 August a group of citizens including Atyrau Oblast Maslikhat deputies visited Atyrau PS, they were allowed to enter the territory of Atyrau PS. CPC Regional Manager Mukhit Mazhenov conducted a tour of all PS facilities, including the pump building and tank farm, with access to the tanks. The visitors took measurements of the atmospheric air contents using their own equipment.

We consider it necessary to remind that CPC is the major oil transport enterprise. Atyrau PS is the second main station downstream in Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline system.

Atyrau PS is neither an oil production or refining facility nor a source of increased atmospheric emissions, but provides transit transportation of raw materials from the Tengiz field and receives oil from other Shippers.  Four tanks installed at the PS, each of 20,000 tons, are equipped with floating roofs with modern rigid seals which provide 99% suppression of oil vapor emissions into the atmosphere compared to conventional stationary roofs. Oil is received from the Shippers into the said tanks but the crude is not stored in them but goes in transit via booster pumps to the main line pump building. The operation facility is energized by the external electric power sources.
Atyrau PS uses a highly efficient system for treating domestic wastewater and industrial and storm water wastes. The treatment facilities are highly automated. Their process cycle includes preliminary sedimentation in static settling tanks, physical and chemical treatment together with pressure flotation, post-treatment at a five-stage filter, and disinfection at the ultraviolet plant. The water purified to the MAC in the fishery is fed into four-section evaporation ponds equipped with an impervious screen.

Pursuant to Environmental Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (RoK EC) No. 400-VIЗРК dated 2 January 2021 and Regulatory document RD 52.04.186-89 “Atmosphere Pollution Control Guidelines” atmospheric air quality should only be measured by certified laboratories holding licenses and accreditation certificate.

Environmental compliance assurance (ECA) is conducted on CPC-K facilities territories on a quarterly basis and includes the following: instrumental control of pollutant emissions into the atmospheric air from stationary sources subject to control; instrumental control of the level of atmospheric air pollution at the boundary of the SPZ. Instrumental measurements of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere are performed by LabSEM LLP - the sanitary-environmental monitoring laboratory. According to the results of instrumental control, no exceedance of the level of air pollution at the SPZ boundary was recorded. The actual emissions form all Pump Stations (PS) in 2022 in total amounted to 2,245.686 tons not exceeding the maximum allowable emission (MAE) standards. Emission limits for Atyrau PS  were set as 2,117.5274 tons for 2022, 2,245.2024 tons for 2023, while the actual emissions were 933.054 tons in 2022 and 246.310 tons in the first quarter of 2023.

As a reminder: Caspian Pipeline Consortium consistently remains a major taxpayer in the Republic of Kazakhstan: in 2022, CPC-K paid taxes of KZT 37.5 billion, or almost $82 million. 

In addition, CPC regularly funds charity projects in the spheres of education, health care, infrastructure development and social programs in Atyrau Oblast. Construction of a Family-Type Children’s Village and House of Youth, both opened in 2021, are recent large-scale charity projects of CPC.  Construction of a school for 900 pupils was commenced in 2022 in Talgayran micro-district. In total, in 2002-2022, CPC-K allocated over KZT 12 billion (over $28 million) towards charity projects. In 2022 alone, $2.8 million were allocated for this purpose.

Being an open international company, CPC adheres to the principles of dialog with all stakeholders and intends to continue engaging with the public, subject to compliance with the necessary security measures and legislation.

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.