On 14 March 2023, Caspian Pipeline Consortium
conducted a comprehensive drill at its Krasnodar Krai facilities to contain and
respond to oil spills. The exercise involving in total 78 persons and 56 units
of equipment took place at Kropotkin PS and at KP 1216 of Tengiz-Novorossiysk
crude pipeline (river Chelbas crossing).According to the drill scenario, as a result of
an unfavorable weather forecast - drastic drop of air temperature - CPC-R and
Contractors’ resources and equipment were put on high alert. According to the
exercise setting, further simulated destruction of the RVSPK-50000A oil tank at
Kropotkin PS site and simulated rupture of the crude pipeline caused by surge
with oil getting into the Chelbas river occurred simultaneously.
In these simulated accidents, the maximum
possible volume of oil spilled from the tank could be 50,000 m3
(42,000 t), the maximum oil spill in the area of underwater crossing could be
11,801.73 m3 (9,913.45 t).
The emergency sections of the pipeline were
conditionally shut off with block valves. Resources and vehicles of the
Professional emergency response unit (PERU) were sent to the spill location.
State executive authorities and competent organizations were notified promptly.
Security specialists arranged a cordon around the oil spill, controlling the
access of people and vehicles to the sites of containment and elimination of
consequences.
Five hypothetically injured persons were
evacuated from Kropotkin PS and received first aid. The simulated oil spill on
land was contained by the construction of a barrier with retaining walls. A
field trunk pipeline was laid, oil was pumped out of a pit, oil-contaminated
soil and oil-contaminated waste were collected and loaded, oil was washed off
the concrete surface of the dyking, and a simulated oil fire was extinguished
at the PS booster pumps site.
The main containment barrier (consisting of three
boom lines) was installed on the Chelbas river, completely blocking the riverbed
and holding back the emergency volume of oil. The skimmer collected the oil
from the water surface into a temporary storage tank, and then the oil was
pumped into a tank truck with a pump and moved to the PS. The bank line in the
area of the simulated spill was treated with sorbents.
The drill results were assessed by a commission
consisting of representatives of Krasnodar Krai Kavkazsky District
Administration, Krasnodar Krai Russia MChS, Rosprirodnadzor and Rostekhnadzor.
The departmental commission’s assessment confirmed the Consortium’s readiness
to contain and respond to oil spills within the timeline established by the law
in accordance with CPC-R Oil Spill Prevention and Response Plan in Krasnodar
Krai.
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%.