BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 15
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
Tengizchevroil’s (TCO) production continues uninterrupted and the company is taking actions to continue safely executing Future Growth Project-Wellhead Pressure Management Project (FGP-WPMP) activities, the TCO’s parent company – Chevron - told Trend.
In early Dec. 2020, medical specialists were sent to the field to the Kazakhstan’s Tengiz oil and gas field due to the boost of COVID-19 cases there.
In this regard the company official said that TCO’s top priority is to protect the health and safety of our workforce. The company is conducting its activities in compliance with Kazakhstan’s (RoK) sanitary regulations and measures to protect Kazakh citizens during the current pandemic.
“With over 210,000 PCR tests to date, 41,364 of which were taken only in December 2020, TCO is conducting PCR testing at a per capita level which is significantly higher than the average in large cities in Kazakhstan. It should be noted that most of the registered positive COVID-19 cases at Tengiz are either asymptomatic or with mild symptoms,” the official said.
The official added that TCO’s current understanding of COVID-19 including transmission, testing and prevention measures have advanced significantly since the start of the pandemic.
TCO representative said the company has been working closely with Kazakhstan authorities to prepare sufficient medical infrastructure, supplies and testing capabilities for the winter season and will continue to focus on safeguards aimed at trying to keep new cases of infection from entering Tengiz.
“This includes: requiring PCR testing each worker to receive an access to Tengiz, separating essential personnel in accommodation, transportation, and at worksites, as well as isolating respective individuals and their close or potential contacts,” the official added.
Similar drastic increase in COVID-19 cases at the field was observed in May 2020, when Kazakhstan’s Chief Sanitary Doctor Aizhan Yesmagambetova said that operations at TCO-operated Tengiz oil and gas field may be suspended if number of COVID-19 cases among field’s staff continues to increase.
The first two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany on March 13, 2020.
The Tengiz oil field was discovered in 1979 and is one of the biggest and deepest oil fields in the world. The total explored reserves of Tengiz reach 3.2 billion tons, while recoverable reserves range from 890 million tons to 1.37 billion tons.
In 1993, Tengizchevroil LLP, which is the project operator, was established on the basis of an agreement between Kazakhstan and Chevron.
Presently, Tengizchevroil includes Chevron (50 percent), ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc. (25 percent), KazMunayGas (20 percent) and LukArco (5 percent).
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