Damage from burning of associated gas can make more than $ 3 billion a year: Ministry for Environment
14:55, 16 January 2009
ASTANA. January 16. KAZINFORM /Kurmat Samarkhan/ The incineration of associated gas in the development of hydrocarbon fields in the current environment is especially important for the country. This was said today on a regular sitting of inter-departmental commission on the issues of stabilization of environment quality by the head of the Committee for Ecology Regulation and Control under the Ministry for Environment of Kazakhstan Murat Rakhimbergenov, Kazinform reports.
According to the head of the Committee, gas burning entails two main negative factors. ?First of all, it is pollution of environment. Secondly, permenant loss of gas as a mineral raw?, M.Rakhimbergenov noted.
The head of the Committee states that nowadays on the territory of Kazakhstan out of 46 oil companies 30 companies burn the gas at flares, out of them 25 ? in the western region and 5 ? in the South of the Republic.
?Comparative analysis shows annual increase in the combustion gas. Thus, oil companies in 2006 burned at flares 5,3 bln cubic meters of gas, in 2007 ? 6,5 bln. cubic meters and in 2008 - 6,9 bln. cubic meters?, M.Rakhimbergenov said.
?The damage from this negative process may be assessed more than USD 3 bln. a year. In crisis situation such prodigality is unacceptable?, the head of the Committee noted.