Waste

Why is this important?

Waste generated by oil and gas activities must be properly managed in order to prevent potential harm to public health and the environment. Waste quantities produced with potential impact include both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes generated from our ongoing operations, as well as from site closures. 

Our commitment

We are committed to reducing emissions and discharges of pollutant substances and waste. 

We measure

Waste streams measured include solid and liquid hazardous waste such as oily sludge, waste chemicals, catalysts, contaminated soil and construction debris. Demolition waste such as concrete not containing dangerous substances, welding waste, water-based drilling wastes, as well as municipal waste, paper and metal, are the main non-hazardous waste streams. 

 

Waste management registers in accordance with applicable legal requirements are kept at each site. The Synergi tool also collects waste data. Clear responsibilities are set regarding the review and final approval of waste data including shipment documents to be archived. 

We act

As part of the OMV Petrom Group Environmental Management Standard, all businesses and activities are required to identify and use the lowest hazardous material option as well as reduce both raw materials use and waste generation in compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations. To manage waste responsibly, we use authorized partners while following a hierarchy of priorities, starting with prevention of waste where possible, followed by reuse, recovery, and recycling, and finally, as a last resort, safe disposal according to internationally accepted best practices. Waste management, along with other environmental topics, is integrated into awareness campaigns and internal workshops. In site closures or in case of spills, we rely on third-party support for containment intervention, surface clean-up, and emergency management as well as management of certain waste streams from clean-up or closures. 

We train

According to legal requirements, environmental training includes waste management and hazardous substances for on-site personnel in charge of environmental tasks. 

We check

The EMS 14001 is regularly audited for surveillance/ recertification. 

Our key actions

According to OUG 92/2021, programs to prevent and reduce waste generation were implemented at the operational level and submitted to the Environmental Agencies. 

 

Surface abandonment works in E&P – site closure waste management 

Waste amounts reported cover both production waste and waste from one-time projects. In 2022, OMV Petrom E&P generated 665,420 t of total waste (2021: 605,172 t). We diverted from disposal by recycling, recovery and preparing for use 77% of the total waste generated throughout the year. The hazardous waste amounted to 282,603 t and mainly included site closure soil from wells and facilities abandonment as well as tank sludge. Non-hazardous waste included scrap metals and clean concrete from decommissioning activities. In 2022, from the contaminated soil treated in our bioremediation plants, 98% resulted as bioremediated soil for use as backfill material, and 2% resulted as non-hazardous soil waste that qualified for landfill disposal. 

 

OMV Petrom waste management infrastructure consists of 11 bioremediation plants, four landfills, and eight temporary storage platforms.  Bioremediation will reduce the hydrocarbon content of the waste soil, and based on the results of the sample analysis, the bioremediated soil is further used as backfill soil or sent to OMV Petrom landfills or third parties’ landfills. 

 

In 2022, we executed works for surface abandonment of 746 wells and 40 facilities in E&P. Contaminated soil, construction waste and scrapped metallic ferrous and non-ferrous materials were the main waste streams generated. We treated 157,131 t of contaminated soil in our bioremediation plants with a recovery rate of around 97.7 %. The clean concrete represented around 98% of the construction waste, which amounted to 261,328 t, and we delivered it for further use in OMV Petrom and externally. We recycled around 13,000 t of scrapped metallic ferrous and non-ferrous materials through authorized companies. We directed the other waste to specialized waste facilities for either recovery or disposal. 

 

Site restoration for non-operational assets in R&M – responsible management to the end-life of operations 

In R&M, we maintained the high performance on waste recovery rate of our demolition projects. In Petrobrazi Refinery, we achieved a 99% waste recovery rate for demolition projects finalized in 2022. 

 

In 2022 we continued the site restoration of the remaining two depots Constanța and Oradea, from a total of 39 former fuel terminals, with sites remediated up to initial pre-operational state, according to legal provisions in place. A site restoration for the former petroleum products terminal of Zalău ANRS was also initiated. In addition to the 222,000 m3 of soil/subsoil contaminated with petroleum products generated and treated in the previous years, around 27,575 m3 contaminated soil were excavated and treated.  

 

We achieved a recovery rate of 99% for the contaminated soil treated, which we further used for on-site backfills or send to authorized landfills. We performed periodic monitoring during and after site rehabilitation, as requested for each site by the environmental authorities. The site status (e.g., land covering by grass, soil compaction) is quarterly monitored for one year after our works are finalized.  

 

The decontamination works of the former petroleum products terminal Constanța are conducted under close surveillance of the Museum of National History and Archeology Constanța (MINAC) according to national legislation, due to the site’s high archaeological value. During the archeological investigations performed by museum experts, a series of archaeological artefacts with important value were found, documented and preserved according to strict national procedures.  

Results (KPI, other indicators)

See waste related indicators in the Performance in Detail – Environmental Performance. 

Outlook

We plan to continue our decommissioning and demolition projects for E&P and R&M divisions as scheduled, cleanup the land and properly manage all resulting waste. We will also continue the revision and update of the Waste Management Plans at operational level.