SOCAR: No environmental irregularities detected in Guneshli field
By Rashid Shirinov
Azerbaijan’s state energy giant SOCAR has conducted environmental monitoring in the Guneshli oil field located in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.
The company reported on July 12 that its Department of Ecology organized a monitoring in late June using the "Mamed Suleymanov” research vessel. The research group visually investigated the area of Guneshli, Platform No. 10 of which blasted last December.
Then, samples of sea water were taken and inspected for concentration of hydrogen ions, oxygen amount, salinity, conductivity and temperature by using Professional Plus multi-mode analytical instrument in the laboratory of the vessel.
“The analyses found that the obtained physico-chemical parameters are within the normal limits typical for the Caspian Sea,” SOCAR reported.
Additionally, samples of bottom sediments, benthos, phytoplankton and zooplankton were taken during the monitoring. All collected samples were sent for hydro- and microbiological analysis to the Laboratory of Complex Researches under the Ecology Department of SOCAR.
A fire broke out on the offshore platform #10, December 4, as a strong storm damaged an underwater high-pressure gas pipeline. As many as 33 people were rescued in an ensuing large-scale operation. The tragedy killed 14 people, while 16 are reported missing. On 10 February, the fire at the Platform was completely extinguished.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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