Environment
Progress against 2022 targets
2022 target | Actual 2022 data |
---|---|
Reduce GHG emissions with 5% of 2021 actual CO2 equivalent level. Develop methane emissions management policy and a policy on energy use and resource efficiency. | Our actual CO2 emissions were 169,6 ktons of CO2 |
Participate in CDP questionnaire for (1) Climate Change and (2) water security module and aim for at least one “C” level and one “B” level evaluation score. | In December 2022 we were scored “B-“ in both modules |
Nostrum is focused on being a responsible operator in order to minimize as far as possible the Company’s impact on the natural environment. We abide by strict international environmental protection legislation and are actively working on GHG emission reduction initiatives.
1. Non-GHG air emissions
Operations of Nostrum are always associated with air emissions and our objective is to minimize the negative impact. Nostrum manages air emissions based on the limits established in the Environmental Emissions Permit. In order to get Environmental Emissions Permit a Draft norms of maximum permissible emissions is being developed to consider the maximum load of equipment for the last 2-3 years.
Most emissions are generated as a result of combustion of fuel gas in gas turbine units, boilers, process heaters, compressors, and gas and liquid flaring.
Amount of emissions is decreasing compared to last years
Permitted and actual amount of Non-GHG air emissions for 2020-2022
Air Emissions Actual / Permitted (tonnes) | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |||
Actual | Permitted | Actual | Permitted | Actual | Permitted | |
Total emissions, including: | 4234,0 | 7927,5 | 4316,9 | 6621,1 | 4186,36 | 6426,12 |
Carbon monoxide (CO) | 1022,7 | 3405,3 | 1084,4 | 2842,5 | 998,0 | 2387,9 |
Nitrogen oxides (Nox) | 185,6 | 699,6 | 237,7 | 573,9 | 235,9 | 760,9 |
Methane (CH4) | 248,7 | 502,8 | 243,3 | 360,2 | 231,6 | 338,6 |
Petroleum hydrocarbons (C2-C19) | 2611,7 | 2616,9 | 2563,3 | 2567,7 | 2562,6 | 2584,5 |
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | 28,518 | 28,728 | 28,851 | 29,029 | 29,05 | 29,74 |
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) | 58,7 | 596,0 | 83,6 | 171,9 | 37,4 | 94,8 |
Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) | 4,7 | 4,9 | 2,6 | 2,7 | 2,6 | 2,6 |
Metals and inorganic compounds (Metals) | 1,2 | 1,2 | 1,2 | 1,2 | 1,2 | 1,2 |
Acids and other organic chemicals (Organics) | 42,4 | 42,4 | 42,2 | 42,2 | 43,0 | 47,0 |
Dust, suspended solids, particulate matter (PM) | 29,7 | 29,7 | 29,7 | 29,7 | 45,1 | 178,9 |
2. Waste management
Waste management includes daily control of sites for temporary storage of production and consumption waste, accounting, transportation and transfer to a third-party specialized companies.
All generated waste is transferred under a contract to third-party specialized service providers. Currently, the company transfers production and consumption waste to the following organizations:
- West Dala
- Help Ecoil
- TuranPromResurs
- Oral Tazalyk KZ
In 2022, the volume of waste generated at the company’s facilities totalled 2865.1 tons. Compared year 2021, there is a slight difference that is associated with the formation of drilling wastes.
Year | 2021 | 2022 |
Waste generated, tones | 2876.4 | 2865.1 |
Recycled and reused, tones | 2699 | 2462 |
Transferred for processing, % | 93.8% | 85.9% |
3. Water discharges
In order to prevent the negative impact on the environment with wastewater, the Company discharges wastewater from special artificial reservoirs such as evaporation ponds, filtration fields and a landfill for formation water and industrial wastewater.
The Company has the following Artificial ponds:
- Evaporation ponds GTU-1,2,3 “conditionally clean” storm (rain, snow) wastewater
- Polygon for formation water and industrial wastewater disposal
- Filtration fields, domestic wastewater after treatment at WMP.
Disposal of Domestic and Sanitary Wastewater in 2021-2022
Disposal indices | 2021 | 2022 | ||
Permitted | Actual | Permitted | Actual | |
Disposed Sanitary Wastewater, m3 | 85775 | 26188 | 85775 | 26191 |
Discharges to ponds evaporators, m3 GTP-1,2,3 | 84810 | 22338 | 84810 | 44748 |
Drilling waste water and associated water, m3 | 45900 | 4573 | 35000 | 2757 |
4. Greenhouse gas emissions
Nostrum seeks to minimise all GHG emissions and continues to invest in new technologies to improve GHG emissions performance. Nostrum strictly adheres to both UK and Kazakhstan regulatory requirements with regard to GHG emissions and has been monitoring and reporting GHG emissions since 2011. In 2022, we participated for the third time in the CDP disclosure process to demonstrate our commitment to improvement and transparency in this area by providing data on Climate change and Water Security management. As a dual-listed entity, Nostrum adheres to both UK and Republic of Kazakhstan reporting requirements. According to the 2022 Kazakhstan National GHG allocation Plan, 206 650 tonnes of CO2 were allocated to Nostrum. Our actual CO2 emissions in 2022 were 165 994.9 tonnes of CO2.
Nostrum is committed to minimising flaring activity and flares only in accordance with the terms of Kazakhstan Ministry of Energy gas flaring permits. Timely maintenance work conducted at our gas treatment facilities has been shown to reduce the risks of accidental flaring, and the implementation of a gas utilisation programme has led to a decrease in gas flaring.
In order to reduce GHG emissions, the transportation of personnel working at production facilities is via buses and not the use of personal vehicles.
In 2022, Nostrum will expand on its ARS by including ca. 700 “tags” in the process calculations, allowing real time readout of data directly related to process related GHG emissions. By the second quarter of 2022, these data will be added on a daily basis to the non-processing related GHG emissions, reconciled and reported. In addition, Nostrum will install one external GHG emission measuring unit near the main gas turbine unit. This unit will be used to calibrate the ARS calculations.
Leak detection devices are installed on major technological equipment at our field site. These detection devices are used for alarm purposes and can detect methane. However, they cannot measure fugitive emissions. They are routinely inspected in accordance with Nostrum’s strict QHSE standards.
In line with the RoK President’s Message about widespread greening of the country (planting of 2 billion trees in the forest fund and 5 million trees in villages) and to implement the Nostrum’s 2021 Environmental Protection Plan about 230 trees were planted in October 2021 close to Nostrum’s oil terminal near Beles village. This green initiative will continue over the next few years near Beles. Nostrum is also considering various additional GHG reduction initiatives for 2022 and future years.
Table 1: Scope 1 GHG emissions subdivided by gas type (CO2e)
GHG emissions | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Carbon dioxide (CO2) | 195453,3 | 242275,6 | 244263,3 | 213754,8 | 180527,9 | 180922,0 | 165 994,6 |
Methane (CH4) | 10817,0 | 10723,4 | 8436,31 | 8249,88 | 6133,25 | 5614,87 | 3599,50 |
Nitrous oxide (N2O) | 1045,7 | 1305,4 | 1303,53 | 1034,06 | 910,74 | 903,41 | 7,05 |
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) | 33,6 | 27,6 | 36,6 | 24,1 | 26,7 | 25,8 | 23,8 |
Total | 207349,6 | 254332,0 | 254003,2 | 223062,9 | 187598,6 | 187466 | 169624,99 |
A breakdown of GHG emissions by gas type is shown in Table 1. The GHG emissions predominantly consisted of carbon dioxide and methane. Scope 1 emissions are generated directly by equipment owned and operated by the Group and as a result of our operations. The equipment includes boilers, heaters, diesel stations, gas turbine units, compressors. Scope 1 emissions also include flaring and hydrofluorocarbons emitted by refrigeration units and climate control systems, such as air conditioners.
Table 2: Scope 1 GHG emissions subdivided by source types (CO2e)
GHG emissions | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Stationary Combustion | 195576,1 | 243001,1 | 245362,4 | 214624,4 | 181402,6 | 181765,7 | 166284,2 |
Mobile Combustion | 757,9 | 434,9 | 104,9 | 55,1 | 66 | 86 | 111,780 |
Fugitive sources | 11015,6 | 10896,0 | 8535,8 | 8383,4 | 6130,4 | 5614,4 | 3229 |
Total | 207349,6 | 254332,0 | 254003,2 | 223062,9 | 187599 | 187466,1 | 169 624 |
Stationary combustion sources formed the majority of emitted GHGs. The reduction in emissions from mobile combustion is related to the fact that the majority of the Group’s vehicles were transferred to a third-party transport services company.
Indirect GHG emissions (Scope 2)
Nostrum does not use purchased steam, heating or cooling. Electrical power is the only purchased power related to indirect GHG emissions and it is supplied to Nostrum facilities via the Zelenovskaya distribution network (ZapKazREK JSC), through its subsidiary Batys Energoresursy LLC. The regional emission factor (0.27086 tCO2/MWh) was calculated using Order of the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated January 17, 2023 No. 9 On Approval of Methodologies for Calculating Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals and the regional net thermal efficiency of Urals Natural Gas Fired Power Plants (73.3%). Total direct and indirect GHG emissions (Scope 1,Scope 2 and Scope 3) and total GHG emissions are summarised in Table 3.
Table 3: Scope 1, Scope 2, Scope 3 and total GHG emissions (CO2e)
GHG emissions | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Direct energy (Scope 1) | 207349,6 | 254332,0 | 254003,2 | 223062,9 | 187598,6 | 187466,1 | 169 624,99 |
Indirect energy (Scope 2) | 2262,9 | 640,3 | 455,0 | 297,3 | 68,0 | 12,2 | 4,9 |
Indirect energy (Scope 3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 351,210 |
Total | 209612,5 | 254972,3 | 254458,1 | 223360,1 | 187666,6 | 187 478,4 | 169 981,1 |
Emissions intensity ratio
Tonnes of CO2 per tonne of output is a recommended intensity ratio for the oil and gas sector, as per Appendix F of the UK Government’s Defra Environmental Reporting Guidelines (2013). Taking into account the variety of products of Nostrum Oil & Gas – crude oil, stabilised condensate, LPG and dry gas – the chosen intensity ratio is expressed in metric tonnes of CO2 e (mtCO2 e) per tonne of oil equivalent (mmboe).
Table 4 shows intensity ratios for total (Scope 1 and Scope 2) emissions in the period 2015-2022.
Table 4: Emissions intensity ratios for total GHG emissions
Production – Intensity Ratio | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Production, tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) | 2156171 | 2087758 | 1665536 | 1520928 | 1186383 | 907648 | 703430 |
tCO2/toe | 0,097 | 0,122 | 0,153 | 0,147 | 0,158 | 0.207 | 0,241 |
Production, mmboe | 14,77 | 14,30 | 11,41 | 10,42 | 8,13 | 6,22 | 4,82 |
tCO2/mmboe | 14193,4 | 17830,6 | 22305,7 | 21441,2 | 23094,8 | 30156,9 | 35207,4 |
Table 5: Global GHG emissions and energy use data
Current reporting year 2022 | Comparison reporting year 2021 | |||
UK and offshore3 | Global (excluding UK and offshore) | UK and offshore3 | Global (excluding UK and offshore) | |
Emissions from activities which the company owns or controls, including combustion of fuel & operation of facilities (Scope 1) tCO2 e | No data collection | 169 624.991 | No data collection | 187,467.0 |
Emissions from purchase of electricity, heat, steam and cooling purchased for own use (Scope 2, location-based) tCO2 e | No data collection | 4.9 | No data collection | 12.2 |
Total gross Scope 1 + Scope 2 emissions/ tCO2 e | No data collection | 169 629. 9 | No data collection | 187.479.3 |
Energy consumption used to calculate Scope 1 + Scope 2 emissions: kWh | No data collection | 92 177 103 | No data collection | 92 656 521 |
Intensity ratio: tCO2 e (gross Scope 1 + 2)/ mmboe | No data collection | 35207.4 | No data collection | 30,157.0 |
Methodology | No data collection | Kazakhstan methodical guidelines. KwH calculated based on 1.36E+15 J own generated energy plus purchased electricity | No data collection | Kazakhstan methodical guidelines. KwH calculated based on 1.36E+15 J own generated energy plus purchased electricity |
1. 2021: 377,019,444.4+45,088=377,064,532.4 kWh. 2. 2022: 377,019,444.4+18,024= 377 037 468.4 kWh. 3. In the UK, the Company rents serviced office space. The owner of the premises in which the Company rents space does not collect the data required to be reported. |
5. Environmental monitoring
In order to assess the negative impact during production activities and take timely measures to minimize it, the company conducts industrial environmental monitoring, which includes:
- Monitoring of atmospheric air sampling at the border of the Sanitary Protection Zone in Chinarevskoe Field;
- Monitoring of air sampling in the nearby villages of Sulu-Kul, Chinarevo and Beles;
- Monitoring of atmospheric air sampling at the boundary of the Sanitary Protection Zone of the Terminal and PSP;
- Monitoring of emissions of pollutants from sources;
- Monitoring of quality from the Embulatovka river;
- Monitoring of waste water discharges;
- Monitoring of soil sampling.
The frequency of environmental monitoring is carried out monthly and quarterly, in accordance with the industrial environmental monitoring program.
Results of atmospheric air monitoring in Beles
Characteristics of air pollution in the area of the village of Beles (mg / m3)
Sampling point | Ingredients | MPC | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Availability exceeding MPC, multiplicity. |
Beles | RSH | 0,006 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | – |
H2S | 0,008 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | – | |
SO2 | 0,5 | 0.082 | 0.077 | 0.000 | 0.088 | – | |
NO2 | 0,2 | 0.064 | 0.084 | 0.1 | 0.1 | – | |
CO | 5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 3.2 | – |
Results of atmospheric air monitoring in Chinarevo
Characteristics of air pollution in the area of the village of Chinarevo (mg/m3)
Sampling point | Ingredients | MPC | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Availability exceeding MPC, multiplicity. |
Chinarevo | H2S | 0,008 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | – |
SO2 | 0,5 | 0.083 | 0.084 | 0.058 | 0.047 | – | |
NO2 | 0,2 | 0.076 | 0.066 | 0.042 | 0.05 | – | |
CO | 5 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 0.91 | – | |
RSH | 0.006 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Results of atmospheric air monitoring in Sulu-Kol
Characteristics of air pollution in the area of the village of Sulu-Kol (mg/m3)
Sampling point | Ingredients | MPC | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Availability exceeding MPC, multiplicity. |
Sulu-Kol | H2S | 0,008 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | – |
SO2 | 0,5 | 0.12 | 0.085 | 0.000 | 0.086 | – | |
NO2 | 0,2 | 0.087 | 0.1 | 0.084 | 0.067 | – | |
CO | 5 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 0.000 | 2.7 | – | |
RSH | 0.006 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Characteristics of air pollution at the border of the Sanitary Protection Zone in Chinarevskoe Field (mg/m³)
Ingredients | MPC | Q1 | Q2 | ||||||
N | Y | S | W | N | Y | S | W | ||
H2S | 0,008 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
SO2 | 0,5 | 0.094 | 0.11 | 0.000 | 0.075 | 0.083 | 0.056 | 0.083 | 0.083 |
NO2 | 0,2 | 0.076 | 0.1 | 0.084 | 0.096 | 0.064 | 0.068 | 0.074 | 0.077 |
CO | 5 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 3.7 |
RSH | 0.006 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Ingredients | MPC | Q3 | Q4 | ||||||
N | Y | S | W | N | Y | S | W | ||
H2S | 0,008 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
SO2 | 0,5 | 0.047 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.068 | 0.051 | 0.000 | 0.055 | 0.000 |
NO2 | 0,2 | 0.1 | 0.000 | 0.1 | 0.057 | 0.065 | 0.000 | 0.047 | 0.052 |
CO | 5 | 1.7 | 0.000 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.86 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
RSH | 0.006 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Characteristics of air pollution at the border of the Sanitary Protection Zone at the Terminal (mg/m³)
Ingredients | MPC | Q1 | Q2 | ||||||
N | Y | S | W | N | Y | S | W | ||
H2S | 0,008 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
SO2 | 0,5 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.087 | 0.099 | 0.082 | 0.062 | 0.084 | 0.000 |
NO2 | 0,2 | 0.096 | 0.083 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.065 | 0.071 | 0.058 | 0.054 |
CO | 5 | 1.4 | 0.000 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
RSH | 0.006 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Ingredients | MPC | Q3 | Q4 | ||||||
N | Y | S | W | N | Y | S | W | ||
H2S | 0,008 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
SO2 | 0,5 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.075 | 0.071 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
NO2 | 0,2 | 0.064 | 0.065 | 0.044 | 0.057 | 0.1 | 0.064 | 0.051 | 0.000 |
CO | 5 | 0.87 | 0.97 | 0.97 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.95 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
RSH | 0.006 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Results of laboratory analyzes of water samples at the river of Embulatovka.
Ingredients | MPC | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 |
smell, color | no more 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
BOD-5 | no more 6 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
dry residue | 1000 | 710 | 720 | 534 | 612 |
Chloride (Cl) | 350 | 125 | 130 | 66 | 127.5 |
Sulphate (SO4) | 500 | 132 | 135 | 120 | 129 |
ammonia | 2 | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.18 | 0.29 |
Nitrite | 3,3 | 0.024 | 0.024 | 0.013 | 0.013 |
Nitrate (NO3) | 45 | 1.43 | 1.43 | 1.4 | 2.7 |
Petroleum hydrocarbons | 0,3 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Copper | 1 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Lead | 0,03 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Zinc | 5,0 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Cadmium | 0,001 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Dissolved solids (DS) | 20 | 0.42 | 0.42 | 0.45 | 0.39 |
Characteristics of soil contamination at the border of the Sanitary Protection Zone in Chinarevskoe Field (mg / kg)
Ingredients | MPC | North | Yeast | South | West |
Lead | 32 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 1.6 |
Zinc | 23 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 7.0 |
Cadmium | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
Copper | 3 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 5.3 | 5.8 |
Petroleum hydrocarbons | – | 0.0078 | 0.0026 | 0.0072 | 0.0048 |
Nickel | – | 20 | 20 | 19.4 | 20.2 |
6. Biodiversity
At the regional (macro) level, the area where Nostrum operates has rather low biodiversity. Most of the lands are plowed and cultivated steppes. The only landscapes with higher biodiversity are forests.
The area of forest land in the Baiterek region is 30.3 thousand hectares or 4.1% of the land of this administrative region.
All forests are located along the rivers and belong to protective belts or other types of specially protected natural areas.
90% of the forests are located in the state Kirsanovsky nature reserve, located about 20 km south of the Chinarevskoye field. Due to the large distance between the Chinarevskoye field facilities and the Kirsanovskiy reserve, the direct impact on this reserve is insignificant.
At the microenvironment level, the territory of the Chinarevskoye Field includes two main biodiverse areas: the floodplains of the Bolshaya and Malaya Embulatovka and Bykovka rivers, which cross the Field. The floodplain forests of the deposit are also protected as protective belts of these rivers.
These floodplains are inhabited by water birds, including geese and swans during open water seasons, and provide habitat for macro fauna mammals such as deer, foxes, hares and others. The floodplain of the Derkul River closest to the Beles terminal.
2023 initiatives
- 5% reduction of 2022 actual CO2 emissions
- To document / install air pollutant and GHG emission sensors as per RoK directive
- To implement real time measurement and monitoring of GHG in exhaust fumes from major emission sources in CHN field as per RoK guidance
- Participate in CDP questionnaire for Climate change and Water security modules and aim for at least one “C” level and one “B” level evaluation score