THEY SPEAK ON DIFFERENT LEVELS ABOUT MAINTENANCE OF THE UNIQUE SEA, BUT NOW CONCRETE ACTIONS ARE REQUIRED, EXPERTS THINK

Caspian Sea cries with petroleum.

Petroleum outflow from the old flooded wells in the Caspian goes on the third month. The third month no measure is taken to stop petroleum outflow from the old flooded wells in the Caspian.

"We do not even know, what quantity of petroleum is now in the sea, - the chief of special sea inspection of Kazakhstan on the control of safe sea operations Radus Latfullin says. - Presently we have neither money, nor engineering means to survey the сoastal area and undertake anything to liquidate the outflow. The means of 750 millions tenge on liquidation of the old flooded wells promised by the Kazakhstan government are now in balance of the Energy Ministry and have not entered the area yet".

According to Radus Faridovich, by his personal request "Agip KCO" twice presented a helicopter for fly over the territory. It is impossible to expect something more now. The production share agreement (PSA) has no point on similar assistance.

Now by the request of special sea inspection employees of "AtirauCaspianecology" search a technique capable to work in conditions of shallow water with the account of water sets. Such a technique and technology is not present in Kazakhstan. The search is run all over the CIS. But even if the technique is found, naturally, considerable money will have to be paid for it.

"They speak about preserving the unique sea at different levels, but concrete actions are already required", the chief of department of state control over protection of water resources of the Atirau regional management of ecology Bostan Suleymanov considers. - We have more than once informed our Ministry that the flooded wells can soon result in ecological accident in the Caspian. The problem was considered by the government. Allocation of money is likely solved. We have no other information.

Today there are 11 wells temporarily killed thirty years ago only in the Pribrejnoye deposit. But, as it is known, there is nothing more constant than temporary. At that time they simply had no time to preserve them thoroughly - level of the Caspian Sea unexpectedly rose, and the wells went under water. Totally 1485 wells are in the killed or temporarily impound condition at the Caspian coast, Rusenergy informs.

Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan takes rigid measures

CASPIAN ENERGY was informed of this by the head of the Ministry Huseyn Bagirov.

As he said, 20 claims, including to such large enterprises, as the oil company Salyan Oil, "Garadagh-sement" joint stock company and some local oil and gas production departments are already sent to judicial instances.

Bagirov also informed that the Ministry prepared similar documents also concerning the BP Azerbaijan company. "The whole documentation is submitted to the company, and if they show readiness to pay the penalties, the problem will be solved. Otherwise we will also address to judicial instances", - the minister said. According to him, the amount of penal sanctions to BP Azerbaijan can vary from 500 mln up to 1 bn manats.

According to the minister, if there is an infringement of ecological safety rules, there is no meaning whether it was made casually or for ignoring the established norms. Manufacture must be adjusted in all the enterprises so that to exclude all kinds of surprises.

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan also conducts work on revealing oily areas in the Apsheron peninsula, the minister Hussein Bagirov marks. Let's note that World Bank is going to allocate $14-15 mln on clearing oily grounds of the Apsheron area, where basic onshore oil and gas deposits of Azerbaijan are located. But, according to the minister, it is supposed to divide the polluted grounds into sectors and involve also representatives of private sector in clearing, also the state and WB.

Realization of the project of clearing polluted grounds of the Apsheron peninsula is planned to start in 2005. It will not be the first such project. As informed earlier Media-Press, on means of the WB clearing of 10 hectares of oily grounds is already conducted in Apsheron. $5.1 mln is allocated for reclamation. The given work is a component of the extensive Program of urgent ecological investments (PUEI) costing $24.5 mln. It includes, besides the projects of clearing the territory of Sumgayit factory of surface-active substances from mercury pollution, perfection of ecological management and administration. The program of urgent ecological investments is financed, besides WB at the expense of the government of Azerbaijan, grants of the Japan government and British fund Know-How.