Publication Name

Previous Page

Next Page

Page Background

Environment and Security

46

platforms producing 350 000 tonnes of oil a

year. So far, six cases of oil fountain ignition

accidents and numerous seepages of an

oil and water mixture have been registered,

especially during exploration in the 1970s

and 1980s.

Before the intense oil development around

Cheleken now culminating in annual oil out-

put of 2 million tonnes, salty hollows on-

shore (

takyrs

) served as natural reservoirs.

They could store and supply water for some

10 000 people, as well as farm animals

(camels, goats and sheep) and migratory

birds. When oil production started, many

Similarly in Turkmenistan oil production

around the Cheleken peninsula, and oil and

gas transportation by tankers and pipelines

have affected biodiversity and the local

ecosystem. The Cheleken peninsula is also

home to specialized chemical enterprises.

The concentration of oil and chemical in-

dustries calls for particular attention to the

environment and safety. In addition to pos-

ing a risk of increased water and air pollu-

tion these industrial activities may suffer ad-

verse effects due to the rising sea level.

In Cheleken, Turkmenistan, offshore oil pro-

duction is concentrated on dozens of sea

�

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��