Environmental events

The PGNiG Group places strong focus on preventing environmental emergencies and hazards (such as spills, emissions) in hydrocarbon exploration and production. The adopted measures include not only system-based solutions such as procedures, training and safety briefings, but also technical solutions, ongoing checks of the technical condition of plant and machinery, and supervision of work by authorised personnel. All these measures consequently drove down the number of emergencies having environmental impact.

Three environmental events occurred in 2021:

• Crude oil spill – 450 m³ of sand flooring was contaminated. A spill of formation fluid (liquid hydrocarbons) on the Tarnów 82k drilling rig site occurred during formation testing. The sand flooring is located on the HDPE geomembrane on the drilling site in a layer with thickness of approximately 0.3 m. Tests carried out to date show that the sand flooring has been contaminated. Further analysis is under way. No environmental contamination can be clearly identified until the sand flooring is removed and additional analysis is carried out. (PGNiG)
• Crude oil contaminated soil – approximately 256 m³ of land was contaminated on the site of the OP Dzieduszyce Zielin Oil and Gas Production Facility as a result of leakage from a natural gas discharge unit by an underground leachate tank. Environmental damage to surface soils occurred through pollution with petroleum substances. The volume of leakages is not known or capable of being estimated. The site is currently undergoing in-situ bioremediation after consultation with the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection of Gorzów Wielkopolski by way of an administrative decision. (PGNiG)
• Fuel spillage – overloading/overfilling of a diesel oil tank while loading fuel from one tank truck to another (the supplier’s and the company’s tank trucks). The event occurred at a leased, concrete-covered depot of the Seismic Group. As a result, 3,250 litres of diesel oil were leaked, polluting the internal rain and melting water discharge system. The system had a separator preventing the substance from entering the combined sewer system (a former fat processing plant). All consequences of the incident were fully remedied, without any environmental impacts. The site was cleaned up with the help of the State Fire Service, the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection and a specialist water treatment and sewerage cleaning company. The waste generated as a result of the incident was disposed of in accordance with applicable laws. All recommendations and preventive measures to eliminate similar potential events in the future have been implemented. (Geofizyka)