OREANDA-NEWS. December 15, 2010. The Saratov Oil Refinery (part of the TNK-BP group) has invested over 230 mln rubles in environmental programs and health and safety projects in the Saratov Region — 10% more than was originally planned, reported the press-centre of TNK-BP.

At a meeting in Saratov on December 9th, the regional board of Russia’s Natural Resources Inspectorate Rosprirodnadzor noted the Saratov Refinery’s experience of reducing environmental footprint as part of its conservation strategy and improving the efficiency of nature protection work at its industrial facilities.

The Refinery is working on a program of biological remediation of contaminated soil, as a result of which in seven years the percentage of clean soil has increased from 41% to 74% across the facility as a whole.

Reducing atmospheric emissions is another focus area. As part of TNK-BP’s corporate program to clear up its legacy pollution, open oil pits and sludge collectors have been removed, cutting discharges by over 3,000 tons.

In November, the company completed a major project to renovate the rail oil product loading rack, thereby reducing discharges by a further 1,000 tons.

Discharges are expected to drop by another 2,200 tons following the completion of a project to fit floating roofs on the refinery’s storage tanks in 2011.

The Saratov Oil Refinery is pursing a consistent program of investment in environmental, health and safety measures.

Under the Agreement between TNK-BP and the Government of the Saratov Region, the company originally planned to spend 210 mln rubles on the above projects in 2010.