OREANDA-NEWS. October 22, 2009. Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. (KPO) has presented a world-class Eco-Centre, which will ensure proper recycling, treatment of drilling fluids and safe disposal of drilling wastes in a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way, reported the press-centre of KPO.

Speaking today, Giuseppe Pasi, KPO General Director, said: “As part of our commitment to environmental protection and efficient use of natural resources, we have implemented a robust waste management treatment process through which we can further improve our environmental performance and increase our operating efficiency.

“KPO has utilised Best Available Techniques with regards to safe handling and disposal of drilling waste, placing our company among the industry leaders in this field in Kazakhstan, but also worldwide. It is a major achievement for KPO, which will complement the other significant improvements we have seen in environmental performance over the last five years”, said Giuseppe Pasi.

The Eco-Centre allows for the safe treatment and disposal of liquids and solid waste associated with drilling activities. Moreover, the leading technologies utilised have allowed KPO to shift to the use of Oil Based Mud for drilling wells, which is more effective and reduces the levels of water consumption, emissions to air and waste produced from each well drilled.

With the Eco Centre on stream KPO is also able to recover and reuse the expensive base oil, which composes 65% of the oil based mud, ultimately delivering a greater value for the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Partners in the Karachaganak Venture.

The KPO Eco-Centre consists of the Thermo-Mechanical Cuttings Cleaning (TCC) facility, which enables the safe and efficient treatment of oil base mud cuttings, the Liquid Mud Plant (LMP), the processing facility for mixing and treating of drilling mud, the Liquid Treatment Plant (LTP), which enables treatment of hydrocarbon contaminated water, recycling of brines used for work-over operations and reconditioning of water based mud used on top hole drilling operations, and the Rotary Kiln Incinerator (RKI), which is used to process oil contaminated soil and materials other than drilling cuttings. Finally, to allow for a permanent safe disposal of treated drilling waste, KPO is currently constructing at the Eco Centre a permanent landfill site designed to the strictest safety and environmental standards.