Biodiversity

Karachaganak oil and gas condensate field (KOGCF) covers an area of more than 280 km². KPO shares the single territory with other users of natural resources, while it operates only on areas directly located under industrial facilities, pipelines and field roads.

Besides the KPO industrial facilities, there are other businesses deployed at the Karachaganak Field, which are either engaged in processing of some part of the raw product produced by KPO (such as JSC “Condensate”) or provide maintenance services for the field and infrastructure facilities. Apart from KPO and third-party facilities, there are large areas in the field previously used as agricultural land and farming land plots. Until 1956 this area had been used for pastures and hayfields. After 1957, farmers started growing grain crops except the floodplains and slopes of the Konchubai and the Kalminovka gully, which remained as pastures. So far, the state reserve lands (SRL) prevail on the sanitary protection zone (SPZ) of the Karachaganak Field. However, some patches are still being used by farms.

Thus, the above factors create certain difficulties in identifying and delineating responsibility for potential negative impacts and often limit KPO ability to take practical actions for restoration of the environment and the biodiversity.

Nevertheless, KPO is aware that natural biodiversity is not subject to administrative and territorial divisions set up by humans and in order to preserve all the entire biological wealth of a certain territory and the fragile links in the chain of species interaction, all players must follow common principles and approaches. In this regard, Action of biological diversity within the contract areas is the subject of special attention by the Company.

Aiming to minimize impact on biodiversity in the Field, since 2012 KPO develops and implements the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) regardless of the fact that there are no particularly sensitive areas which require biodiversity monitoring. Biodiversity Action Plan is one of the measures used to prevent the disbalance of ecosystem and reduction of biodiversity; it’s a risk-based assessment of KPO’s presence in terms of its potential impact on environment.

BAP is developed in accordance with the IPIECA/OGP’s “BAP instruction guidelines for Oil and Gas” and updated every three years. Also, the survey and monitoring frequency is set at regular intervals. As part of the BAP, the Company has developed the guidelines for actions recommended for sensitive ecosystems and riverbanks areas, along with the flora and fauna species data base. The Database is updated yearly upon completion of surveys.

KPO IS AWARE THAT NATURAL BIODIVERSITY IS NOT SUBJECT TO ADMINISTRATIVE AND TERRITORIAL DIVISIONS SET UP BY HUMANS AND IN ORDER TO PRESERVE ALL THE ENTIRE BIOLOGICAL WEALTH OF A CERTAIN TERRITORY AND THE FRAGILE LINKS IN THE CHAIN OF SPECIES INTERACTION, ALL PLAYERS MUST FOLLOW COMMON PRINCIPLES AND APPROACHES.

As part of the BAP, KPO performs an analysis of factors impacting the Field’s biodiversity.

Additionally, satellite images analysis is being conducted for KOGCF every 10 years in order to monitor the dynamics of changes in the ecosystems.

Export pipeline ‘Karachaganak-Atyrau’ (hereinafter as KATS) is one of the key facilities that support the Karachaganak field’s development. Pipeline was put in operation in 2004 and its length is 635,5 km. In 2022 for the first time ever KPO developed BAP 2023–2030 for the territory located along the KATS pipeline route.

In 2023 KPO carried out flora baseline studies along KATS route for the purposes of:

• Identification of priority (key) species of flora;
• Identification of indicator species of flora;
• Identification of factors impacting ecosystems along the KATS route;
• Selection of site locations and routes for further monitoring;
• Creation of flora database.

The KATS route runs all the way through the West Kazakhstan and Atyrau Oblasts, KPO has therefore decided to carry out the region baseline studies on a phased basis.

Monitoring of biodiversity at KGOCF

For 2023 reporting period KPO has performed the approved activities, planned in BAP for 2021–2023.

All BAP stages since 2011 are uploaded on KPO’s website www.kpo.kz in the section Sustainable development /Environmental protection/Biodiversity /BAP.

The scope of work for 2023 included the following:

• carrying out an analysis of dynamic pattern in the ecosystems of the KOGCF and adjacent territories based on satellite remote sensing data These activities were mainly aimed at monitoring of the changes in spatial distribution of steppe areas within the SPZ boundaries and changes in riverbank ecosystems over the course of time. Assessment of possible changes was conducted based on the analysis of satellite images of the field and adjacent territories over the following periods: before the beginning of KOGCF operations (1989); during the period of mid-term operations (2007, 2011); the present period (2021).
• development of BAP for the period 2024–2026 in accordance with the methodology stipulated in Standard 1.3.1.47 ESHIA and the Guide to biodiversity action plans for the oil and gas industry published by IPIECA / IOGP associations.

Analysis of remote sensing data

Based on the processing of high-resolution remote sensing (RS) data, an ecosystem map at a scale of 1:100000 was created for KOGCF territory and adjacent territories. Additionally, the analysis ofecosystems changes over a ten-year period (from 2010 to 2021) was carried out. The areas occupied by different ecosystems and changes in their spatial distribution were calculated and compared.

Visual surveys of 45 “control points” were carried out while decoding the 2021 satellite image, followed by field visits and map surveys of these points in May 2023, which allowed to verify (confirm / deny) the current situation.

The combination of field ground observations and remote sensing data made it possible to carry out a cartometric analysis of the ecosystems condition at KOGCF territory for 2021, which has revealed that:

• The area of dry steppe ecosystems had amounted to 5,751 ha (6.93 %).
• The area of coastal-water and aquatic ecosystems had amounted to 4,923 ha (5.94 %).
• The area of agrosystems had amounted to 68,118 ha (82.11 %).
• The area of urbanized and technogenically transformed ecosystems amounted to 4,165 ha (5.02 %).

Cartometric analysis of ecosystems over the study period (from 1989 to 2021) indicates that the overall structure is dominated by agroecosystems, its area has changed from 64,346 ha to 68,118 ha. In the meantime, there was a significant decrease in arable and cultivated areas from 47,558 ha to 10,424 ha and an increase of multiple-aged fallow land area that had been in farming business (arable land) for a long time. At present, the fallow lands are in various stages of natural recovery.

Based on satellite data and field surveys for KOGCF ecosystems and adjacent territories, the analysis of dynamic patterns indicates that that the ecosystems of the project area have been impacted to moderate and great extent. The greatest changes are believed to have been caused by anthropogenic factors such as:

• agriculture (arable land / seeds, pasture);
• construction and operation of industrial facilities;
• road digression;
• fires.

Slightly disturbed and conditionally intact steppe ecosystems are found to be preserved locally in places adjacent to difficult terrains (gullies, ravines), where ploughing is difficult. These areas are of particular value as they are foci for natural regeneration of flora species diversity, plant communities and all ecosystems in general for the most part of the disturbed areas, provided that the impact has already ceased.

The current state of the soil and vegetation cover at KOGCF and adjacent territories can be assessed as satisfactory. In recent years, there have been positive aspects in the ecosystem dynamics associated with the following activities:

• construction of major paved roads;
• reduction of the network of infield roads;
• restriction of acces to the Field for unauthorised persons and vehicles;
• reduction of arable and cultivated land;
• tree planting within the SPZ and along the motor roads;
• resettlement of two settlements previously located in the vicinity of KOGCF (Tungush village, 2003; Berezovka village, 2018).

Development of the Biodiversity Action Plan at KOGCF territory for 2024–2026

Along with conducted analysis of KOGCF and adjacent territories ecosystems’ dynamic pattern, a BAP for conservation of biodiversity at KOGCF territory for 2024–2026 was developed in 2023.

The BAP for 2024–2026 identifies main aspects of KPO activities in terms of preservation of biodiversity in this region.

Tab. 49.Biodiversity Action Plan stages for 2024–2025

Monitoring of biodiversity at KATS

During 2023 KPO has executed the pre-planned activities as part of the 2023–2030 BAP for the areas along the KATS export pipeline route.

The scope of work for 2023 along the KATS pipeline included the following:

The first stage of the KATS Biodiversity Action Plan is to undertake a baseline assessment of the current state of biodiversity along the KATS pipeline route in order to plan further activities aimed at preserving fauna and flora species and their habitats based the projected KPO activities and land use plans by other interested parties in this area.

In 2023 KPO conducted baseline surveys of vegetation condition along the KATS section located in West-Kazakhstan Oblast.

According to the plan similar surveys will be conducted along the KATS section located in the Atyrau Oblast in 2024.

Baseline surveys for flora and vegetation condition along the KATS route within WKO boundaries was conducted at various points:

Pyrogenic impacts (fires) have been recorded along the KATS pipeline route within the WKO only once and over a small area (approximately 3 m²).

Along the KATS pipeline route within the WKO there are a large number of land users engaged in agriculture: cattle breeding, cultivation of sunflower and some grain crops. Their activities affect the structure and condition of the herbaceous communities of the area used. This includes pasture, haying, ploughing, fertiliser application, etc.

During further monitoring, KPO will track the nature of ecosystem change under the influence of individual transport, pyrogenic and agricultural factors and their combination, which, if necessary, will enable the development of measures to reduce the impact of different land users’ activities on the region’s ecosystems.

The Biodiversirty Action Plan (BAP) for 2023–2030 prepared for the territory located along the KATS export pipeline route, identifies main aspects of KPO biodiversity conservation activities in this region.

Tab. 50.BAP stages for 2023–2030 for the territory located along the KATS export pipeline route Karachaganak – Atyrau

Key species control

As part of biodiversity assessment, KPO makes a considerable focus on monitoring of rare plant and animal species. The priority of a particular species in matters of biodiversity conservation is determined by the priorities of international and local legislation, sensitivity and resistance to impacts and significance of possible negative impact of the company activities on the environment.

The main key species considered during the research period from 1990 to 2021 are shown on the website www.kpo.kz in the section Sustainable development/Conservation of biodiversity/Significant species of flora and fauna registered at KOGCF area.

All these species also exist outside the KOGCF. It should be noted that presence, absence or number of these species within the field is not a direct indicator of environmental well-being of the area. The distribution of individual species may change due to both local and global causes (climate change, desertification, etc.) that are not related to KPO activities. At the same time, it is necessary to plan and organize production activities in a way not to cause any direct and indirect effects on the population of individual species, which are an important part of the biodiversity at the Karachaganak Field and adjacent areas.

In 2023, during the baseline surveys performed along the KATS export pipeline route within WKO boundaries, five species of flora included in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the list of endangered species were registered:

• Carnation andrzejowskianus (Dianthus andrzejowski);
• Woodland tulip (Tulipa biebersteiniana);
• Schrenck’s tulip (Tulipa shrenkii);
• Fischer’s star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum fischeranum);
• White water lily (Nymphaea alba).

The category of key / priority species includes the species whose study and protection are of high priority for the area. First of all, these are species listed in the RoK Red Data Book, IUCN Red List, as well as species that are rare or sparsely distributed in the area, they are the most vulnerable, quickly react to changes in habitat conditions and, thus, show indicator properties, in this regard, key species should be monitored.