Annually, the operation activity of the Company results in nearly 1,180 thousand tonnes of production and consumption wastes, three fourth of which is drill cuttings.
Environmentally friendly and resource saving technology of pitless drilling is employed in Western Siberia; it is certified by the State Environmental Expert Commission on a federal level. Decontaminated drill cuttings are used as soil during earth fill construction on well pads. To minimize the negative environmental impact of production, Gazprom Zarubezhneftegaz strives to reduce drilling waste generation, to exclude toxic chemicals in preparation of drilling fluids. In 2021, drill cuttings utilization level in “Gazprom Zarubezhneftegaz” PJSC was over 81%.
Another particular type of waste generated during oil production is oil sludge that makes up 1.85% of the total waste generated by the Company. There are single and multiple cell sludge storage ponds in “Gazprom Zarubezhneftegaz” PJSC that collect oil sludge and drill cuttings, oil containing fluids and contaminated soil for further treatment and decontamination all year round. Decontamination of oil sludge and oily soils is performed by a panning method at six centers and four upgraded lines for fluid phase recycling. Decontamination of oil sludge by a thermal method is performed using 10 Szhigatel incineration units.
The Company uses 30 Forsazh mobile thermal destruction units for thermal decontamination of oily waste cloth, filters and other solid oily waste (0.503 thousand tonnes in total).
The use of these facilities allowed the Company in 2021 to prevent the burial of over 84 thousand cubic meters of oil sludge and oily soils. Every year, the level of their decontamination reaches 100%.
All mercury containing waste of hazard class I (25.95 tonnes) has been transferred to specialized companies for further decontamination in accordance with current agreements.
Used oils generated in the course of various technological processes of “Gazprom Zarubezhneftegaz” PJSC oil and gas production divisions are fully utilized into commercial oil after clean-up (settling).
The Company organized shredding of polymer-containing and paper waste, pressing cardboard by means of the in-house equipment. The Company’s unique facility for the utilization of worn-out car tires makes it possible to completely recycle this waste, obtaining certified products that are in demand by third-party organizations — rubber chips.