National Oil Corporation’s General Department of Safety, Environment, Security and Sustainable Development has rolled out a detailed action programme of environmental remediation programmes in Wahat, in coordination with NOC subsidiaries, including projects to treat water produced in association with oil. The projects are to be completed by 2020 and follow a comprehensive environmental study of the region conducted by NOC in 2017 and 2018, in accordance with NOC chairman’s resolution 207 of 2015.
Water treatment projects include the installation of equipment to inject water produced in association with oil into specialised drainage wells, in order to maintain soil and groundwater quality around oilfields including Jalu 59 and Nafoura. Equipment for the disposal of water produced in association with oil has already been installed at the Abu Attifel oilfield, while equipment for the Nafoura field is currently being installed.
The department has also initiated procurement of fixed and mobile units to monitor air quality and emissions from oilfields in Wahat region. NOC aims to achieve zero flaring of gas from fields around the Wahat district by 2022, after a successful pilot case at Abu Attifel oilfield.
NOC chairman Eng. Mustafa Sanalla said: “Health and safety is NOC’s highest priority. NOC has carried out an extensive environmental study in Wahat through specialized technical committees from the oil sector, and now we have set out a clear programme to address residents’ concerns.”
Mr Khaled Bukhtwa, general manager of NOC’s General Department of Safety, Environment, Security and Sustainable Development, said: “We have formed specialised committees, responsible for effective implementation of these projects, and we are working to establish an environmental monitoring laboratory in the district. Next week, a technical team will be deployed to Wahat to prepare final construction plans. We also plan to contract companies specialised in industrial waste management and recycling and implement similar projects in all other fields over the next three years.”
