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Oil spill causes 'ecological disaster' close to Nefteyugansk city

By 0 and 0 and 0
30 June 2015

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The company said its actions had 'prevented' oil reaching the main river. Picture: Andrey Seleznyov

A rupture in a key pipeline led to oil pouring into Ob floodwater with the polluted area now put at more than ten hectares. Pictures showed the scale of the damage in an area close to the city of  123,000 people in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region. 

The Ob was anyway flooded when the spill occurred on 23 June and the key damage is to an area already underwater. 

The pipeline is run by RN-Yuganskneftegas Ltd, part of the Rosneft energy giant, which said on Monday it 'engaged all the necessary measures to eliminate the spill of oil-containing liquid'.

The company said its actions had 'prevented' oil reaching the main river, the seventh longest in the world. Despite this, it is clear a significant quantity of oil spilled into the Ob's floodwater, and among the pictures is a domestic tap flowing with blackened water. 

Floodwater from Ob River is black from spill as emergency workers flight to limit damage.


Floodwater from Ob River is black from spill as emergency workers flight to limit damage.


Floodwater from Ob River is black from spill as emergency workers flight to limit damage.


Floodwater from Ob River is black from spill as emergency workers flight to limit damage.


Floodwater from Ob River is black from spill as emergency workers flight to limit damage.
Oil spill causes 'ecological disaster' close to Nefteyugansk city. Pictures here and below: Andrey Seleznyov, Znak.com


The pipeline 'failure' was close to the village of Singapay, in the suburbs of  Nefteyugansk. The oil is from the Ust-Balykskiy field in western Siberia. The pipeline has been stopped as emergency workers deal with the spill, with 1,100 metres of booms installed to prevent the oil spreading. 

A company statement said it was taking 'every necessary measure to minimise the environmental damage. 

'About 60 employees are involved in works to eliminate the consequences of the accident, in addition to six boats and five sets of oil gathering equipment.'

However, one local blogger claimed the company was slow to fix the problem adding that Rosneft was 'shrugging its shoulders and doesn't want publicity'.

Floodwater from Ob River is black from spill as emergency workers flight to limit damage.


Floodwater from Ob River is black from spill as emergency workers flight to limit damage.

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Comments (5)

The problem is that once you accept compensation you become complicit and have no power to turn off the valves that let the oil flow. The only answer is to shut it down. But with a population that is 90% immigrants from Russia, Ukraine etc. who are ther\e for one reason only--the oil economy--there is no will to shut it down. The indigenous Khanty and the Nenets must somehow come to terms with this Faustian bargain making the most of the limited benefits such as dirt roads, bridges, and illegal fuel, as they fight to uphold tribal rights and seek justice through the international courts. That could take generations, meanwhile the youth are tempted away from the reindeer and the mosquitoes by the promise of work and money and vodka. And so the spills continue with and environmental degradation continue with impunity.
Wade Kearley, Canada
25/03/2016 08:58
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Where there is blood the sharks circle. Where there is oil the Rosnefts, LUKoils, Shells and their ilk circle. You can expect the same amount of social justice in either scenario.
Wade kearley, Canada
04/12/2015 20:21
1
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Stop stop stop they are destroing the Nature
Anders Pedersen , Danmark
28/07/2015 15:52
3
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Inhabitants of that area should receive an economic compensation from Rosneft for the damage.
Enrique, Spain
30/06/2015 17:39
10
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What a disaster!

This company should be handed the harshest of fines to make sure they feel it where it hurts & even prison terms for the management and Directors/Owners if found they were incompetent. And then they should be made to drink the oily polluted water coming out of the taps.
Jaker, Dundalk
30/06/2015 08:39
10
3
1

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