Specification For Land Management: Petroleum Development Oman L.L.C. Health Safety Environment & Sustainable Development
Specification For Land Management: Petroleum Development Oman L.L.C. Health Safety Environment & Sustainable Development
Specification For Land Management: Petroleum Development Oman L.L.C. Health Safety Environment & Sustainable Development
The requirements of this document are mandatory. Non-compliance shall only be authorised by
the Document Owner or his Delegate through STEP-OUT approval.
A controlled copy of the current version of this document is on PDO's EDMS. Before making
reference to this document, it is the user's responsibility to ensure that any hard copy, or
electronic copy, is current. For assistance, contact the Document Custodian or the Document
Controller.
Users are encouraged to participate in the ongoing improvement of this document by providing
constructive feedback.
i Document Authorisation
ii Revision History
The following is a brief summary of the 4 most recent revisions to this document. Details of all
revisions prior to these are held on file by the issuing department.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i Document Authorisation........................................................................................................ 3
ii Revision History.................................................................................................................... 4
iii Related Business Processes................................................................................................. 4
iv Related Corporate Management Frame Work (CMF) Documents........................................4
1 Introduction........................................................................................................................... 6
1.1 Purpose........................................................................................................................... 6
1.2 Changes to the Specification........................................................................................... 6
2 Scope.................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Definitions & Abbreviations.............................................................................................. 7
2.2 Deliverables..................................................................................................................... 7
2.2.1 Records.......................................................................................................... 7
2.2.2 Reports.......................................................................................................... 7
2.3 Responsibility.................................................................................................................. 7
2.4 Performance Monitoring.................................................................................................. 8
2.5 Review and Improvement................................................................................................ 8
2.6 Performance Standards................................................................................................... 8
2.7 Performance Execution................................................................................................... 9
2.8 Land Transfer................................................................................................................ 10
2.8.1 Due Environmental Diligence during Land Transfer.....................................10
2.8.2 Legal Assessment........................................................................................10
2.8.3 Chemical Assessment.................................................................................11
2.8.4 Responsibility for Initiating Assessments.....................................................11
2.8.5 Responsibility for Conducting Assessments................................................11
2.9 Site Selection and Preparation......................................................................................12
2.9.1 Site Selection............................................................................................... 12
2.9.2 Site Preparation...........................................................................................12
2.10 Site Decommissioning..................................................................................13
2.10.1 General Requirements.................................................................................13
2.10.2 Specific Requirements.................................................................................13
2.11 Landscape Restoration................................................................................15
2.11.1 General Requirements.................................................................................15
3 Appendices......................................................................................................................... 17
3.1 Appendix A Type of Land and their Area in PDOs Operation........................................17
4 Appendix B Checklist for Due Environmental Diligence Audit.............................................18
4.1 Appendix C Land Custodianship Transfer Form............................................................20
1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose
This Specification describes PDO's minimum requirements for land management in its
concession area in order to reduce hazards to human health or minimise environmental
harm, which result from PDO’s and PDO’s contractors activities, products or services.
The requirements for managing site preparation, abandonment and restoration activities
are described.
2 Scope
This Specification addresses the following activities resulting from PDO activities and PDO
contractor activities, products or services:
Custody transfer of land between Government and PDO, PDO and Contractors, PDO
and third-parties and between PDO assets
Site selection and preparation
Site abandonment and restoration
Landscape restoration.
The scope of this Specification does not include the management of assets whose
ownership has been transferred from PDO to a third party prior to 01-01-2001.
2.2 Deliverables
2.2.1 Records
Records shall be maintained to document site preparation, abandonment and
restoration activities. See Appendix A for parameters (refer to CP 122 HSE
Management System Manual, Part 2 Chapter 6, section 4).
2.2.2 Reports
Data shall be submitted to the Corporate Environmental Section at each stage of the
activity or equivalent (refer to CP 122 HSE Management System Manual, Part 2
Chapter 6, section 4) as specified in Appendix A
Any non-compliance with this Specification shall be notified, investigated and reported
per the ‘Non Compliance Report Form’ in CP 122 HSE Management System Manual,
Part 2 Chapter 6 section 4.
2.3 Responsibility
Functional Directors
Functional Directors are responsible for ensuring that within their area of responsibility
the requirements of this specification are met through effective delegation to Delivery
Team Leaders.
Exploration Director
Exploration Director is responsible for ensuring that during the acquisition and
relinquishment of a concession, a due environmental diligence audit is conducted.
Contractors
Contractors are responsible for ensuring that site preparation, abandonment and
restoration activities undertaken in the course of carrying out their contractual
requirements, are managed in accordance with the requirements of this Specification
and reported, where applicable to the Contract Holder.
Document Custodian
The Document Custodian is responsible for ensuring that this specification is updated
as necessary to reflect any changes to Omani legislation, Shell standards and other
requirements to which PDO subscribes.
PDO’s Policy on Abandonment requires that redundant assets shall be written-off and
removed where appropriate and the environment restored to, or as near as reasonable
practicable to, its original state in an agreed time frame.
The Concession Agreement specifies that all operations shall be carried out in a
workmanlike manner in accordance with good oilfield practice, and that the company
will take all reasonable measures to close any unproductive well drilled and
subsequently abandoned.
Individual licences and permits may establish more stringent requirements than those
required by this Specification. In these situations, the more stringent requirements shall
apply.
The following minimum requirements shall apply to all PDO facilities, except those,
handed over or offered to the Government in working condition.
A risk based corrective action approach shall be taken to all contamination issues in
PDOs operation areas.
The Shell Global Environmental Standards (GES No. 9: Soil and Groundwater
monitoring and Remediation) to which PDO subscribes, requires that all onshore major
installations shall be assessed for soil and groundwater contamination. Where soil
and/or groundwater contamination has been detected, risk-based mitigation measures
shall be demonstrably in place for any necessary control and/or remediation, including
control mechanisms to minimise the risk of migration of contaminants off-site.
The ultimate goal is that operation activities shall not lead to soil or groundwater
contamination and that recovery measures shall be in place to mitigate loss of
containment (i.e. spills) and that all potentially impacted sites have been assessed
against legal standards or risk-based criteria and continue to be monitored. All sites
exceeding risk-based criteria or legal standards have been remediated.
Roads, pipeline rights of way, plots for facilities and civil construction
Airstrips, landfill and landform sites and landfarms.
PDO’s land management objectives in each of the identified land areas are different
and are developed to meet the specific requirements of the location.
For contaminated sites, quality of soil shall be assessed and managed by applying the following
guidance documents:
Shell Group (YG) ’Guide to the Risk-Based Management of Potentially Contaminated
Land’;
Shell Group (YG) ‘Technical Guide to the Investigation of Potentially Contaminated Land’.
The type of controls required depend on the nature of the transfer. Essentially all
transfers shall be preceded by a due diligence environmental audit. Audits may also
include chemical and legal components, but not all transfers will require all three
assessments. See Appendix A for checklist for a due diligence audit.
All data collected during a legal assessment shall be documented. If the intended land
use is likely to result in conflict with the existing tenants and/or the responsibility for
restoration of damages is unclear, the legal assessment shall highlight this issue.
The type of survey and the level of detail are to be decided on a case by case basis.
2.9.2.1 General
Earthmoving operations shall be conducted to provide sufficient and safe access for
personnel and equipment while minimising environmental effects. In areas where
earthmoving operations have a high environmental impact, they shall be closely
supervised to ensure adherence to procedures and regulations, and minimisation of
environmental damage.
The location design shall be optimised to minimise the soil to be dug within the field
boundaries and the import of soil from outside the field shall be planned so as to
minimise disturbance. Where technically acceptable, any soil removed to make the
water storage and cuttings pits, shall be used to construct the site, thus reducing the
volume of soil to be brought in from borrow pits.
Trees shall not be felled or removed without approval from the Ministry.
2.9.2.3 Roads
Construction of roads requires approval from ME&CA (and other Ministries in some
cases) in order to ensure that environmental sensitivities are taken into account in the
selection of the route. The Asset constructing the road is responsible for obtaining this
permit.
Wadi crossings shall be carried out so as to cause as little change to the existing relief
or the flow of shallow aquifers as possible.
2.10.2.3 Landfarms
Landfarms where hydrocarbon waste has been treated shall be decommissioned only
if the hydrocarbon concentration is no more than 1%. The landfarm shall be
abandoned only after a due diligence audit of the site.
2.10.2.5 Camps
Buildings and associated facilities, including oil storage and fencing, shall be removed.
Camp sites shall be restored by smoothing the entire site within one month after
vacation of the camp site. Waste pits and sewage pits shall be backfilled and
earthwork constructions (e.g. sound deflecting walls) levelled. Compacted areas,
such as the access road and the camp pad do not need to be broken up or harrowed.
2.10.2.6 Airstrips
Buildings and associated facilities, including oil storage and fencing, shall be removed
from airstrips which are permanently abandoned. The main airstrip does not require
restoration.
2.10.2.8 Wells and Well Sites (Exploration, Oil and Gas Production, Water Supply)
Suspended well sites shall be reviewed annually, with a documented decision taken
for each of them as regards their status in the next year. The review shall include the
technical integrity of the wells to ensure that the wells can remain safely suspended.
Following the decision to abandon a well, the well shall be plugged and the location
restored within 12 months of the decision.
Any mass concrete foundations, ground slabs and anchor blocks shall be broken up to
a size such that they can be incorporated below original ground level wherever
possible and will not cause a problem to earthmoving equipment if the location is
excavated in the future.
The reinforced concrete-lined well cellar wall shall be broken up to a depth of 500 mm
above the bottom of the cellar (but not deeper than the isolated casing stub) and
backfilled using rig pad material. Particular care shall be taken when breaking up the
cellar to maintain well integrity at all times.
After taking into account the location-specific contouring requirements below, excess
rig-pad material and broken-up masonry shall be removed.
All waste pits at drilling sites shall be investigated for chemical contamination.
Parameters to be investigated will depend on the type of chemicals used in the well
programme. When sufficient information is not available, a composite toxicity test may
be conducted. Once the analysis report is available a risk-based assessment shall be
done to identify the most appropriate clean-up requirement and methods. Waste pits
shall be backfilled with a top cover of at least 0.6 metres of clean sand and contoured
to the level of the original ground level.
The entire well location shall then be smoothly contoured to match as closely as
possible the original ground level, with a slope no greater than 14.5 o (1:4) from the
horizontal to allow the safe traverse by vehicles in the future. Care shall be taken such
that during contouring, waste from the pits is not spread over the location. If
necessary to avoid spreading waste, the contents of the waste pit shall be excavated,
isolated and disposed of in accordance with SP 1009 Waste Management
Specification.
2.11.1.6 Jebel
Jebel areas are easily scarred by excavation machinery. Restoration works may
cause further damage.
Access ramps to jewels shall be removed to prevent their use as unofficial roads,
particularly where there are potentially dangerous landforms. Other excavation and
construction scars should be left to weather naturally.
2.11.1.7 Wadi
Wadi crossings, which have been used as transport or pipeline routes, shall be
profiled by earthmoving to restore their natural profile. The natural landscape of the
wadi will usually be restored following significant rainfall and wadi flow.
2.11.1.8 Sabkha
Operations that cause scarring of the surface crust should not be restored by
earthmoving. The alternative flooding and drying of sabkha will gradually restore the
natural profile to the surface crust.
3 Appendices
* Al Khoud water supply well area is calculated from a map (Dr. No 27911, June 1985,
titled 'Seeb Water Wells P.D.O. Concession Area') showing the assigned plot given to
PDO to drill for water. Total area of Oman as calculated from co-ordinates = 307,632
km2 (official is 309,500 km2)
1. Site Details
Site location plans (in relation to main roads etc.)
Detailed plans of:
Site layout (as built and present)
Buried services (pipes, drains and sewer)
Important surface facilities (waste management sites, oil storage etc.)
2. Management details
Environmental management documents
Regulatory authority correspondence
Internal/independent environmental audit reports
Records of incidents
Emergency/contingency plans
3. Operational details
Brief description of site operations (for onsite activities)
Brief description of off-site activities
4. Air Emissions
Information on sources, control plant and monitoring
Copy of permits
5. Discharges to water
Information on effluents, stormwater drainage and foul drainage system
Monitoring results
Copy of permits
6. Waste Management
Waste disposal sites
Inventory of waste streams, quantities and routes of disposal
Monitoring records of air quality and ground water quality around the sites
Photographs
Copy of Permits
7. Hazardous Materials
8. Existing Landuse
Maps showing the existing land use in the area
Information on communities, crops etc.
Monitoring reports
B Receptor Details
Flora (Natural/planted/rare)
Fauna (Domesticated/wild/rare)
Communities (resident and migrant)
Artifacts (historical/pre-historic/scenic)
C Pathway Details
Applicants Name
and Contact details
TRANSFER AGREEMENT
(To be filled in by Area Coordinator & returned to originator.)
Baseline Status of the Land
The land is being transferred to the party requested, with full understanding of
the environmental, legal and chemical baseline status. The applicant, who
received the land, agrees to return the land in the same condition as it is being
transferred.
1
Attach reports
Page 20 Specification for Land Management
The controlled version of this CMF Document resides online in Livelink®. Printed copies are UNCONTROLLED.
Revision: 4
Petroleum Development Oman LLC Effective: Jan 09