Azova Maro - Kuban - Naftokatastrofo
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"ENVIRONMENTAL WATCH on NORTH CAUCASUS" Mailing list
ENVIRONMENTAL ACCIDENT in the KUBAN DELTA
Gas & oil production harms the Ramsar sites in North Caucasus
In February-March, 2004 there was a large environmental accident
in the delta of the Kuban River running into the Sea of Azov. This
accident took place in a protected area - Priazovsky Federal Zakaznik
(wildlife refuge). This Zakaznik is part of the wetlands of
international importance, protected by the Ramsar Convention - "Group
of limans between the rivers Kuban & Protoka". There is one more
Ramsar site nearby - "Akhtaro-Grivenskaya group of limans". These
wetlands are spawning grounds for sturgeon species which are
threatened by extinction, key ornithological territory and a habitat
for protected species of plants and animals. According to the
decision of the Russian Government in 1994, the Sadki State Nature
Reserve should have been created in this area. But till now this
reserve is not founded.
On the 17th of February, at app. 23:15 Moscow time, there was an
accident during the repair work on "East-Prorvenskaya #5" borehole.
As a result, gas and gaseous fluid erupted intensively from the
borehole into the atmosphere. In violation of the Russian
legislation, the borehole is located only 500 meters from the village
Prorvensky, where more than 300 inhabitants live.
Inhabitants of this village woke up at night from a rumble,
shaking their houses. Gaseous condensate cloud covered the village.
The villagers started to feel unwell, nauseated and vomited. Full
evacuation of the village only began in the morning.
The largest Russian gas company "Gasprom" is to blame for this
accident. Its subdivisions "Kubanburgas" and "Kubangasprom" carried
out the drilling of this borehole.
Gasprom workers tried to choke the borehole, but all their
attempts failed. As a half measure, they put fire to the erupting
gas. Huge gas flare did nothing but add pollution to the atmosphere
and demonstrate Gasprom's inability to handle such accidents.
Gasprom and the authorities tried to hide the scale of the
accident. Access to the accident zone for the public and journalists
was denied. To show the insignificance of pollution level, the
villagers were allowed to return home after the flare was lit.
However, the gas flare on the place of emission went out a few days
after the villagers had returned home. There was an acute threat to
the life and health of the villagers from the recurrent gaseous
condensate air pollution. As a result, the villagers were evacuated
once more.
The health of the villagers was damaged significantly because of
the gas and gaseous fluid emission. People felt sick, giddy and were
vomiting. They had to go to the hospital, as they were showing
symptoms of acute chemical poisoning. But doctors did not put the
diagnosis "poisoning" to any victim. Instead, they told that all the
symptoms were from nervous stress. This was another demonstration of
concerted policy of authorities and Gasprom Company aimed to prove
that nothing terrible had taken place.
The eruption of gas continued for another two weeks under the same
circumstances. Only on March, 3rd, the pressure in the borehole
decreased naturally, and workers managed to choke it. Huge quantities
of polluting substances were blown into the atmosphere. All around
the village the area was covered with a thick layer of hydrocarbon
emulsion. It formed yellow foam more than a meter thick on the water
surface.
This accident contributed to the rise of civil consciousness among
the people of Prorvensky village. They sent an appeal to the Governor
of the Krasnodar Territory, demanding to stop gas and oil production
in the area of their village and compensate material and moral damage
incurred by them as a result of the accident.
Compensation received by the villagers is a sad joke. Each person
was given three thousand rubles (100 dollars): two thousand from the
Krasnodar Territory Administration and one thousand from Gasprom.
Contrary to all attempts of pressure from the authorities, people of
Prorvensky village brought a legal case against Gasprom, demanding
that it should compensate appropriately for the huge damage done to
them.
Extraordinary damage was also done to the natural ecosystems of
the Kuban Delta. The emergency borehole is located among extremely
vulnerable natural objects. It is situated on a dam, dividing
Ternovaty Stream directly from Pogorelov Pond. This stream is the
main water-current connecting various reservoirs of these wetlands.
Pogorelov Pond is one of the basic reservoirs of Chernoerkovskaya
spawn-breeding farm. The coast of Gorky Liman is near the borehole.
Gorky Liman is a reserved zone of the Priazovsky Zakaznik which
includes some of the most valuable and vulnerable sites. From the
ecological point of view, it is hard to imagine a worse site for the
borehole.
Why did the state bodies together with "Gasprom" company tried to
hide the scale of this accident? As revealed afterwards, various
state bodies, in violation of the federal law, permitted placing of
the prospecting borehole in the Federal zakaznik, in inadmissible
proximity to Prorvensky village.
Half a year has passed since the accident. Many inhabitants are
chronically ill. Fish, birds and animals continue to die. All around
the village, the hydrocarbon emulsion kept evaporating and infecting
the air. It still covers extensive spaces of reed beds, and is simply
impossible to wash off or collect. Limans (reservoirs) were not
properly cleaned.
This accident is a disturbing signal, calling for immediate
measures to rescue the unique ecosystems of the Kuban Delta wetlands.
Nature here has suffered much in the past from the introduction of
rice-growing. As a result, the original wetland area was reduced
almost by half. Now the main danger for the Kuban Delta is gas & oil
prospecting and extraction. About 20 prospecting and extracting holes
have been located within the boundaries of Priazovsky Zakaznik, which
is part of the wetlands protected by the Ramsar Convention. As this
tendency develops, the amount of boreholes on the territory of the
delta continues to grow. The accident, occurred in February 2004,
unfortunately, has not in any way changed plans of companies to
extract oil and gas in the Kuban Delta. For the population and local
environmental NGOs it is difficult to oppose these companies, which
are supported by several state bodies. This situation demands active
intervention on part of the international public with the purpose of
preserving this unique ecosystem in the Kuban Delta.
About Kuban Delta wetlands see:
http://www.wetlands.org/RDB/Ramsar_Dir/RussianFed/Ru010D02.htm
http://www.wetlands.org/RDB/Ramsar_Dir/RussianFed/Ru011D02.htm
http://www.wetlands.org/programs/RussiaCD/eng/KUBAN.HTM
Andrey Rudomakha
Tatyana Lvova
(Environmental Watch on North Caucasus)
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