ÎÎÎ LUKOIL-Nizhnevolzhskneft (an OAO LUKOIL wholly-owned
subsidiary) obtained the results of satellite monitoring for the North Caspian Sea conducted by the Research and
Development Center ScanX on the request of the Company.
The
monitoring was aimed at tracing pollution and identifying its sources during the
assembly of an offshore ice-resistant stationary platform at Yu. Korchagin
field. After quasi-real processing, the satellite data were sent to specialists
of OOO LUKOIL-Nizhnevolzhskneft via the web-service LUKOIL-Kosmosnimki.
No oil
spills have been traced during the monitoring period within the boundaries of
the license areas of OOO LUKOIL-Nizhnevolzhskneft.
To trace
pollutants and their sources, a multi-satellite monitoring technique was used,
which ensured a high frequency of observation and direct satellite image
acquisition. These observations efficiently control license areas and the
neighboring sites, ensuring a high probability of pollution tracking.
The
monitoring also allows engineers to trace the spill drifting dynamics and the
cases of offshore zone pollution caused by oil spill transfers to license areas
affected by hydrometeorological factors. Thanks to the integrated use of
satellites and other types of information, it is possible to define the nature
and possible sources of pollution (for instance, related vessels which often
cross license areas and may serve as sources of petroleum product discharges
within the boundaries of the license areas of OOO
LUKOIL-Nizhnevolzhskneft).
The greater part of the traced pollution in the waters of
the North Caspian Sea is the result of
contaminated-water and petroleum-product discharges by vessels, which accounts
for the typical shape and location of the discharges in the vicinity of shipping
routes. It is also possible to trace the vessels that caused the pollution.
Overall,
during the satellite monitoring period, the Russian sector of the Caspian Sea was characterized by a stable ecological
condition without considerable deviations from the average multiannual
values
