BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 21
Trend:
Six wells are planned to be liquidated in the Mangystau, Atyrau, and Aktobe regions, the Head of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology, Geology, and Natural Resources Serikkali Brekeshev, Trend reports via Kazinform.
Brekeshev made the remark answering the question of MP Dana Nurdzhigit about which wells are planned to be liquidated and in which regions they are located.
"I would like to draw your attention to the following issue regarding the preservation of the Caspian Sea. The main goal of the protocol [for environmental assessment in the transboundary context to the Framework Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, the law on ratification of which was signed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Oct.4] is the maximum prevention and elimination of accidents in order to reach and maintain the Caspian Sea in an ecologically clean marine environment," Nurdzhigit said.
"In this regard, I would like to draw your attention to the following issues related to work aimed at preventing environmental risks and maintaining the marine environment, including the issue of closing the abandoned wells. A program aimed at identifying such wells and liquidating them has been ongoing since 2010," she noted. "Information revealed as a result of the program’s implementation contained 132 notions of emergency rate. To date, 126 wells have been liquidated. For the rest of the work on six wells, it’s planned to provide funds from the budget."
"At what stage is the work today and is it proposed as part of the work to liquidate the old wells that remain at the bottom?" asked the MP from minister Brekeshev.
Brekeshev answered that the ministry is now working to prevent environmental accidents in the Caspian Sea.
"Our ministry keeps the issue under special control. As you just noted, researches have been carried out continuously since 2010, and 132 emergency wells have been identified as a result of the work. To date, 126 emergency wells have been liquidated," he said. "According to the current researches, there are six wells left that we plan to liquidate: in Mangystau, Atyrau, and Aktobe regions. As to the well in the Atyrau region, now the national company KazMunayGas, together with the Ministry of Energy, are conducting direct negotiations to conclude an agreement in this area. Therefore, the abandonment of these wells will also be carried out at the expense of the funds that will be allocated."
"The liquidation of the remaining emergency wells will be carried out at the expense of funds planned by us for the next years. There are two companies operating now. Previously they carried out exploration work, and these wells have now been liquidated," added Brekeshev.