OREANDA-NEWS. January 28, 2008. The project on construction of a sewerage and water recycling systems has been launched at the Turkmenbashi oil refineries. In accordance with the Resolution of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov littoral petrochemical industry workers conlcuded the contract amounted to US$ 16 million with Emerol LTD (Ireland).

Environmental protection and rehabilitation of the ecosystems of the Caspian Sea basin are the important aspects of the technical modernization programme aimed at turning the Turkmenbashi oil refineries into the largest petrochemical complex in Central Asia producing a broad range of high-quality oil products of great demand on world market. The action plan is based on the envisages the profile of the enterprise and the special status of the Caspian Sea coast as a health resort and protected area with the unique natural and biological resources protected by the government. Advanced technologies and technical decisions enabling to prevent or reduce the environmental damage are applied when constructing plants, reconstructing and modernizing the existing technological facilities and other industrial infrastructure.

Attaching paramount importance to the ecological aspects the Turkmenbashi oil refineries was among the first enterprises in the CIS countries that stopped producing ethylated petrol and developed production of high-octane fuel and hydrofined diesel-fuel oil meeting the EU quality standards. Reconstruction of the flares at the enterprises enabled to reduce gaseous emissions. The considerable work was carried out at the transfer tank farm in Kenar settlement. The oil pipelines of many kilometers, oil reservoirs, industrial water supply and effluent disposal lines were displaced outside the flooded area. An oil-storage tank is under construction within the framework of the programme of ‘minor reconstruction’ aimed at modernizing the engineering services and other industrial facilities at the leading enterprise of Turkmenistan’s petrochemical industry. The storages are supplied with the up-to-date systems preventing hydrocarbon evaporation into the atmosphere.

In collaboration with the Emerol Company – Turkmenistan’s long-term business partner, which has been actively collaborating in the projects on reconstruction and modernization of the industrial giant for 15 years, the Turkmenbashi oil refineries successfully implements the environmental projects. The large-scale program of the nature-conservative measures provides for the research work to assess the environmental conditions and to design the workplan including cleaning of the sea bays, rehabilitation of the natural and biological resources, utilization of oil waste and oil-containing soil, construction of the waste disposal plants with oil removers and special filters.

The sewerage and water recycling systems under construction at the Turkmenbashi oil refineries will reduce the risk of polluting soil and underground waters with oil-containing waste waters. The reservoirs for collecting intermediate wastes will be built at the territory adjacent to the enterprise. The part of the equipment consuming sea water will use fresh water. Water will be treated and again put into operation. Thus, the project will enable to ensure ecological safety of oil refining industries as well as to use the natural resources more efficiently and to extend the life cycle of technological equipment.