ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

ONHYM's strategy is to reduce the impact on the environment of petroleum exploration and exploitation activities, to avoid pollution, preserve natural ecosystems and protect the environment.  This strategy is proactive in principle, utilizes best environmental practices and, where necessary, restores all areas that have suffered harmful effects.

Many environment protection measures have been established to minimize the impact of exploration and exploitation works and to reduce all negative impact on the environment.

Environment impact Assessments

In order to ensure the balance between economic and ecological objectives, an environment impact study is carried out before every drilling or production operation. In each case, any factors that may affect the sensitivity and vulnerability of the environment are outlined. Some suggestions are presented to reduce the negative impact on the surroundings.

Water deposits

For water produced from any reservoir, we model the water present in the formation and produced with hydrocarbons during the extraction phase. The separation of this water requires the use of demulsification additives, which are generally not biodegradable products.

The main concern with produced water is its hydrocarbon and heavy metals content.  If there are large volumes of produced water, it is usually impossible to treat it except by reinjection into waterproofed reservoirs designed to that end.

Prevention measures 

ONHYM utilizes methods and preventive measures to ensure an appropriate ecosystemical approach concerning the management of oil exploitation:

Gas pipelines  are the subject of preventive controls relating to leakage and resistance. Cathodic protection of all pipelines to prevent corrosion  Residue and useless waste (mud, sediments, …) are either destroyed, neutralized or disposed of in remote dumps created to that end. Well cellars, basins and bogs receive a waterproof cladding Abandoned production sites are sealed and placed under permanent supervision. Unused hydrocarbons are flared safely When the hydrocarbons contain harmful elements such as sulfurous anhydride in large volumes, precautions are taken to avoid the pollution of the environment. Training, information and specialization of staff dedicated to the safe production of hydrocarbons. The installation at each production site of a fire extinguisher system.

Production center at the Meskala reservoir Flaring tower

Production wells with enclosure