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Каспинфо декабрь 2002 |
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Название: Экологические нарушения ТШО (на англ. яз) Главные Пункты: * На основании решения суда консорциум ТШО оштрафован на 70 млн. долл. за экологические нарушения, вызванные хранением отвалов серы. (11.12.2002) Полный Текст Экологические нарушения ТШО (на англ. яз) Kazakhs fine US-led oil consortium $70m December 4, 2002 By David Stern in Baku and Matthew Jones in London A consortium led by ChevronTexaco of the US developing the multi-billion dollar Tengiz field in western Kazakhstan has been fined up to $70m by a Kazakh court for environmental violations. The penalty is the latest setback for Tengizchevroil (TCO), which recently decided to halt indefinitely a $3bn expansion that would double production to 22m tonnes a year by 2005, citing differences over how to finance the project. Analysts said it appeared to mark a deterioration in relations between western oil companies and the Kazakh government in the oil-rich ex-Soviet republic. "The Kazakh authorities want to show oil companies who is the boss. But this is very sad for the country and will undoubtably make companies more cautious before investing in Kazakhstan in the future," said a Moscow-based analyst. A Kazakh official in the Atyrau region where TCO is based said a local court had upheld a decision to fine the four-member consortium for violations in storing sulphur, which is a by-product of the oil production. TCO has produced around 6m tonnes of sulphur since the consortium was created in 1993. The yellow substance is stacked in enormous blocks on the vast Kazakh steppe, near the Tengiz oilfield south of Atyrau. TCO says the sulphur is a product, whereas the Kazakhs say that it is waste and therefore requires special permission for storage. Tengiz, with up to 9bn barrels of recoverable reserves, is ChevronTexaco;s largest international holding. TCO officials declined to comment on the timing of the verdict, saying only that they would review the legal documents in the coming days. "TCO is very disappointed with the court;s decision," said a consortium spokesperson, who added that TCO took part in the proceedings under "permanent protest". Officials have said the main stumbling block over the expansion of Tengiz was whether to reinvest revenues from the project to fund further expansion or to seek outside financing. Kazakh authorities, for whom TCO is the single largest source of tax revenue, said they could lose up to $200m if TCOs plans were approved. http://www.nytimes.com/financialtimes/business/FT1037872521858.html?ex=10400 |