No Access

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY LEGISLATION FOR THE OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS SECTOR IN KAZAKHSTAN: A CRITICAL REVIEW

JUAN PALERM

Environmental Consultant, Av. Louise 499, bte1, 1050 Brussels, Belgium

Corresponding author.

Search for more papers by this author

INESSA RUDENKO

Kazakh Agency for Applied Ecology, 8th floor, 10a Abai street, 480013 Almaty, Kazakhstan

Search for more papers by this author

JEAN-LOUIS TEURLAI

Tecnitas, 17, bis Place des Reflets, La Défense 2, 92077 Paris La Défense CEDEX, France

Search for more papers by this author

TATYANA VASSILEVSKAYA

HSE/Full Field Development Department, Agip KCO, Smagulov-Street, 06002 Atyrau, Kazakhstan

Search for more papers by this author

, and

JOSEP RENAU

Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Sescelades, 43007 Tarragona, Spain

Search for more papers by this author

https://doi.org/10.1142/S1464333205002213Cited by:0 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

Kazakhstan has shown an increase in its offshore oil and gas (O&G) prospection and operation activities in the Caspian Sea since 1998, so far with a limited number of operators, but which is about to increase significantly. This is of concern, considering that the environmental and industrial safety regulatory framework is still inadequate for the prevention of pollution from a large number of operators in a very sensitive aquatic ecosystem. This paper reports on the results of a study undertaken for the European Commission Tacis programme aimed at enhancing the environmental and industrial safety regulatory framework in order to align it with EU and international best practice. Based on a comprehensive analysis of applicable international standards and regulations, as well as those of Kazakhstan, ten issues are identified which require urgent attention. These issues are discussed and recommendations made on how to address them in order to improve the regulatory system.

This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.

Keywords:

References

Energy Information Administration (2003). Kazakhstan country analysis brief. Consulted online at http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/kazak.html [17 March 2004] . Google Scholar
OGP — Oil and Gas Producers Association (1994). Guidelines for development and implementation of health, safety and environmental management systems. Report No. 6.36/210 . Google Scholar
J. Palerm, Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management 1(2), 229 (1999). Link, Google Scholar
Palerm, J., I. Rudenko, J. L. Teurlai, J. Renau and T. Vassilevskaya (2003). Recommendations on environmental and safety policy and legislation for the offshore oil and gas sector in the Republic of Kazakhstan. European Commission, Brussels . Google Scholar
Rudenko, I., T. Vassilevskaya, V. Masalova, A. Verzhbitskaya and Y. Eidinov (2003). Summary of industrial safety and environmental legislation and standards applicable to the offshore oil & gas industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan. European Commission, Brussels . Google Scholar
United Nations Development Programme — UNDP and Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean — ECLAC (2000). Challenges and proposals for a more effective implementation of economic instruments for environmental management in Latin America and the Caribbean. Inter-Agency Technical Committee of the forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean . Google Scholar