Lukoil issues clean bill of health for Caspian platform

Offshore staff

MOSCOW -- Satellite monitoring in the Russian sector of the Caspian Sea has revealed no oil spills from the Yu Korchagin platform, according to a survey commissioned by operator Lukoil. The survey was conducted for the company’s subsidiary Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhskneft by the Research and Development Center ScanX.

Monitoring was devised with a view to tracking pollution and identifying its sources during the recent assembly of an offshore ice-resistant stationary platform at the Yu Korchagin field. Following what Lukoil describes as `quasi-real’ processing, the satellite data were sent to specialists of Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhskneft. Subsequent analysis showed no signs of a spill during the monitoring period within the boundaries of the license area.

A multi-satellite monitoring technique was adopted for the survey, to ensure a high frequency of observation and direct satellite image acquisition. According to Lukoil, the chosen technique also allows engineers to trace spill drifting dynamics and cases of offshore zone pollution caused by oil spill transfers to license areas affected by hydro-meteorological factors.

Much of the pollution tracked in the north Caspian Sea is the result of contaminated-water and petroleum-product discharges by vessels, which accounts for the typical shape and location of the discharges around shipping routes. It is also possible to trace the vessels that caused the pollution.

3/19/2010