Primary Author | Conference Presenter:
Fatemah Al-Baroud
Health, Safety and Environment (GAS) Team
Kuwait Oil Company
Ahmadi, Aladan, Kuwait

Co-Author:
Sudharani Shreenivas Kshatriya

Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) is a major subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, a worldwide supplier of energy. KOC’s responsibilities include the exploration, drilling, and production of oil and gas within the State of Kuwait. All of the company’s activities have the potential to affect the health, safety, and environment. The company’s Management is committed to manage these potential impacts and risks associated with its activities and products. Consequently, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) policy and management system has been established and designed as a comprehensive set of requirements that establish a framework for management and personnel to achieve the required HSE goals. The HSEMS is a two-part system consisting of employees’ attitudes and actions, as well as written documentations in a collaborative effort to excel in HSE performance

One of the environmental monitoring elements for all gas projects is to fulfil with the requirements of KOC HSEMS Procedure. KOC.EV.003 – Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), highlights the regulatory requirements set by Kuwait Environmental Public Authority (KEPA), in addition identifies a process in which the potential impacts of the project on the environment (air, water, land, plants, and animals) are predicted and evaluated in order to establish measures to reduce, control, and monitor these potential impacts.

Audits on KOC.EV.003 – Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Procedure and implementation of KEPA recommendations for the approved ESIA Study for the Projects is being carried out as a part of KOC HSEMS Procedural requirement and monitoring the implementation of the relevant HSEMS procedures in the project’s sites. These audits are aimed to verify the implementation status of procedural requirements and implementation of KEPA recommendations at the Project work sites. The list of the projects which were covered during Theme Audit Program are the following:
1. Project work site (3D SEISMIC Survey)
2. Project work site (Upgradation of Gas & Condensate Network at East Kuwait Area II), and
3. Project work site (Construction of New Production & Projects (Gas) Group Building at NK)

This Auditing process comprehensively focuses on the applied ESIA procedure for gas projects in KOC and the effect of this procedure on reducing the negative impacts on environment resulted from projects. Upon completion of the audit process, number of findings and recommendations for each audit were highlighted to the concerned Project Controlling Authorities and as results of these audits; we noticed an extensive improvement in the performance towards protecting our Environment. KOC HSEMS procedure KOC.EV.003 is updated, revised periodically based on the new implications by the regulatory body as and when it is released by the government authority and any major changes take place within the organization.

Keywords— Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), Gas & Condensate Network, and Kuwait Environment Public Authority (KEPA) recommendations