In 2003 OJSC “Surgutneftegas” invested in the program “Ecology – 2003” over RUR 7.373 bn, an increment of RUR 1.6 bn in comparison with 2002.

The most significant amounts were invested into:
- the utilization of trade effluent and waste – RUR 3.138 bn as compared with RUR 2.185 bn invested in 2002;
- the construction of environmental sites – RUR 2.712 bn as compared with RUR 2.220 bn invested in 2002;
- remedial maintenance and replacement of pipe lines – RUR 1.93 bn as compared with RUR 974 mln invested in 2002.

As had been the case during the previous years, the Company’s priority in environmental activity was to prevent contingency situations, including those which might have been associated with pipeline operation. To that end, the Company constructed two units for initial water separation. Currently at the Company’s oil fields there are 74 units for initial water separation, with 65 units equipped with three-stage separator “Heater-Treater”. This makes it possible to transport through pressure lines oil with water cut reduced to 2.5-3%, to eliminate rill rust of pipelines, and to reduce energy and metal intensity of the Company’s pipelines. In addition to that, the Company replaced 584 km of pipeline sections which were not accident free and completed corrosion protection of 691 km of pipelines.

Having been performing construction and repair operations in the last seven years, the Company has been applying pipes of higher corrosion resistance manufactured in compliance with technical specifications designed by the VNIITneft Institute. Since 2003 work has been done to rank pipe steel suitable for use in the oil and gas industry in order of corrosion resistance to agents being pumped over the Company’s pipelines, there has been a start in the application of pipelines made of fiber glass plastic.

For lower environmental impact of oil production activities, all cluster and booster pump stations installed at new oil fields are positioned following “the dual pattern”, that is two installations per one site. Work has been performed to construct multibore wells that save surface areas and decrease drill cutting waste through the replacement of a number of directionally drilled production wells with a multibore well.

The Company puts a lot of efforts to eliminate oil spillages. Last year the Company eliminated oil spillages across the total area of 191 hectares, purchased and utilized 3,030 kilos of germicide “Destroil”, which proves highly effective for contaminated soil remediation, and performed revegetation of 377 slush pits.

According to the ecological monitoring of the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Federal State Institute, the environmental impact of the Company’s industrial facilities are considered to be acceptable, and the Company complies with the environmental quality standards.

In 2004 the Company is planning to invest in ecological programs as much as it did in 2003.

Press Service of OJSC “Surgutneftegas”