OJSC «AMNGR»’s policy when conducting prospecting and exploratory drilling on the Arctic seas shelf and oil production on the Kolguev Island is carried out on the basis that in order to achieve the goals of the ecological safety and environmental protection a regime of the environmental priority is established and observed. It means that at all levels of management and activity of the enterprise, decision-making and realization of all decisions of project-technological, operational and economic character are carried out subject to the environmental legislation only.

In the sphere of the environmental protection the enterprise conduct ecological monitoring of the enterprise’s activity in the whole, which include the regulation of the production activity influence on the environment, i.e. the projects of MPI (maximum permitted emissions), norms of acceptable discharges, norms of waste generation and limits for its disposal are worked out. The enterprise also carries out environmental impact evaluation during well construction, monitors the sea water and bottom sediments. Hazardous waste management is performed on the basis of a license. All actions, connected with the environmental protection, get approvals in the control organizations.

Environmental protection of «AMNGR»’s objects

The enterprise jointly with FSUE «Institute of mineralogy, geochemistry and crystal chemistry of the rare elements» (Moscow) has tested methods of drilling mud cleaning from ecologically destructive components and their neutralization in laboratory conditions. Test results approved the possibility to apply this technology for effective waste treatment, resulting from drilling operations on the continental shelf. According to the conclusion of Sanitary and Epidemiological Inspectorate, after treatment the waste (drilling cuttings and waste drilling mud) can be used for building and construction works.

The enterprise has acquired oil-gathering equipment (booms and skimmer) from Lamor (Finland) and conducted training of its vessels’ crews to handle the equipment.

During tanker loading with oil in the Kolguev island sea road emergency and rescue watch is kept in order to provide the readiness for oil spill response. The watch is kept by AHTS «Neftegaz» equipped with a set of technical aids for oil spill response. A special oil-gathering equipment was acquired in 2007 for oil spill response on the production site (Kolgeuv island), and enterprise’s volunteer emergency response team was certified.

At the end of 2008 the enterprise purchased and put into operation sewage water treatment plants in order to eliminate negative influence on the environment on the production site (Kolgeuv island). Soil recultivation works for borrow No. 1 were also conducted under the agreement with the State Scientific Institute “Narjan-Mar agricultural experiment station of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences”.

There were no emergency emissions, discharge of pollutants into the environment as well as emergency oil spills, trace impurities and oil spots discovered by the controlling authorities during all the time of the enterprise’s activity, as well as no breach of the environmental legislation and penalties.

Results of the ecological monitoring, as regards the ecological safety, allow drawing a conclusion that there is no negative influence on the environment when drilling operations.

In 2006 «AMNGR» participated in the Second All-Russian Ecological Conference “New priorities of the national ecological policy in the real economy” and All-Russian Competition “Leader of the environmental activity in Russia”. According to the results of the competition and as per decision of the organizing committee «AMNGR» was awarded the Honorary Diploma “Leader of the environmental activity in Russia”.