How is Environmental Monitoring Conducted in Development Drilling of Mines?

Illustrative image (Source: Internet)

Circular 22/2015/TT-BTNMT regulates that oil and gas organizations involved in development drilling must conduct environmental monitoring as follows:

- Monitoring of environmental conditions at the facility or cluster of facilities: conduct baseline environmental monitoring once before commencing development drilling and extraction activities; conduct environmental monitoring once within 1 year from the time of obtaining the first commercial oil or gas flow from the field. Implement periodic monitoring programs every 3 years from the time of first environmental monitoring after development drilling;

- Monitoring of the main oil or gas pipeline: conduct baseline environmental monitoring once before installation; periodic environmental monitoring is not required, except in cases of leakage, fire, or explosion.

In addition, environmental monitoring must adhere to the following regulations:

- Oil and gas organizations using water-based drilling fluids in offshore oil and gas exploration activities are not required to conduct pre-and post-exploration environmental monitoring.

- For oil and gas exploration activities using non-water-based drilling fluids within 3 nautical miles from the shore and in environmentally sensitive areas, baseline environmental monitoring must be conducted once before the exploration program and once within 1 year from the conclusion of exploration activities.

- The location, position, time, frequency, and parameters of the monitoring must comply with Appendix 2 of this Circular.

- Within one hundred and twenty (120) days from the end of the monitoring period, the oil and gas organization must send the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment where the oil and gas activities are conducted: 01 printed copy of the monitoring report and 01 CD containing the monitoring results report.

For details, see Circular 22/2015/TT-BTNMT, effective from July 20, 2015.

Le Hai

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE