According to the OMV Petrom Environmental Management Standard and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Procedure, all OMV Petrom activities must be conducted in such a way as to cause minimal disturbance to protected areas and local flora and fauna. In 2020, OMV Petrom finalized the development of a mobile application to enable employees to identify protected species observed within their operational boundaries easily. This project contributes to improving biodiversity conservation monitoring and increasing awareness on this topic.
Observed or predicted direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services are described and analysed in the environmental impact assessment. Biodiversity screenings are carried out at all relevant sites to identify as far as reasonably possible the potential for the presence of nationally or globally threatened species, legally protected threatened or fragile ecosystems, and internationally recognized areas with sensitive biodiversity. In the event of significant observed or predicted impacts, we apply the mitigation hierarchy, and action planning gives priority to avoidance and minimization over restoration and offsetting of the impact.
Midia Pipeline Project in Petromar Asset of Upstream – mitigate the risks in sensitive area
In order to mitigate the operational risks to an environmentally sensitive area, we implemented a project with the scope of rerouting a section of 2.5 km of the main oil pipeline from the Central Offshore Platform to the Midia Terminal in Upstream’s Petromar Asset. This segment of pipeline is in a sandy, swampy area with a high-water table where an effective response to a potential spill would have been difficult. The aim was to install a new pipeline segment (with a cathodic protection system to ensure long-term integrity) on a deviated route as well as decommissioning of an old pipeline segment (by cleaning and sealing).
The relevant environmental authorities permitted the Midia Pipeline Project, which had a reduced temporary impact on the environment. It did not involve the use of resources of which the biodiversity depends on. It also did not affect the integrity of natural protected areas (the land was rendered to initial status) and the protected habitat “Mediterranean salt meadows” (900 m of pipeline crossing this habitat were performed by Horizontal Directional Drilling).
“Corbu-Midia area is one of the most sensitive areas from Upstream. OMV Petrom main oil pipeline from offshore pass through a protected Biosphere area, near the Corbu village community.
Identifying the risks and put in safety the integrity of this pipeline is the responsible way of OMV Petrom to act toward the local community, to the environment and for our business” Alin Viorel Bulău, Project manager of the project.
SDG 15 Target 15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
Characteristics of the environmentally sensitive area Corbu-Midia:
► RO SCI 0065 Danube Delta (Site of Community Importance)
► the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve
► RO SPA 0031 Danube Delta and Razim-Sinoe Complex (Special Protection Area)
► 1 km away from RO SPA 0076 Black Sea and RO SCI 0066 Maritime Zone of Danube Delta
► biodiversity values listed in the Habitat Directive 92/43 EEC: Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise (testudo graeca) and Mediterranean salt meadows (Juncetalia maritimi).