In Russia — the new napasat. A series of outbreaks of coronavirus infection recorded in the enterprises which are engaged in extraction of minerals, including oil and gas. For companies it is fraught with forced quarantines, changes in schedules, increase costs.
The risk that the coronavirus will eventually hit the production and will result in new losses of the budget, also exists, because the fact remains that the number of infected at oil and gas fields is growing.
One of the most notorious cases — flash in the Uvat district of the Tyumen region. “On the territory of the Tyumen region was 290 cases of new coronavirus infection. Of these, 14 cases were registered at the field, located in the Uvat area. The incidence rate indicates the presence of risks of the spread of the new coronavirus infection, including in the shift camps in the implementation of a phased staff try and shoot us down,” reported April 21 the chief sanitary doctor of the Tyumen region Galina Saroha.
The next day, all patients were hospitalized in Tobolsk. The CPS, in turn, has published new regulations for the oil and gas industry: to provide the minimum possible number of employees, suspension from work of persons over 65 and those with chronic diseases, to provide visual observation of the employees before the beginning of the watch for a period of not less than 14 days in a specially adapted buildings.
Information about the outbreak in the Uvat district, said the company “RN-uvatneftegaz”, which is part of Rosneft. It turned out that the positive tests COVID-19 fixed on the West Apscom field, all affected contractors.
“To prevent the spread of infection two residential town contractor located in the area of well pads in West Apassage fields are closed for quarantine. Produced by disinfection and sanitization of all areas, including places of residence of cases of workers”, — reported in the “RN-uvatneftegaz”.
An alarming situation on the Yamal Peninsula, where many people infected with coronavirus is shift workers with facilities on the territory of the region.
According to 24 April, all in the fields of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous County recorded 133 cases of coronavirus. The leader was one of the Tambey group of fields. What is not reported, but the information Agency “Analpro” concludes that “it is a major outbreak of the coronavirus in the field NOVATEK”.
Generally, the first cases of infection in the YNAO was recorded in the village Pangody, which is located near the gas field bear (most of its inhabitants working in the local divisions of “Gazprom”). Hence the disease has spread to other settlements. Evil tongues called “patient zero,” the chief MEDICINSKOGO gas production management “Gazprom dobycha Nadym” Denis Cuople, who reportedly returned from abroad and did not stay home 14 days. True, the press service of the company deny this information: in February-March Cedepal the district did not leave, became ill with pneumonia, tests for coronavirus were negative.
According to the official, the carriers of the coronavirus in the Yamal Peninsula have become simple workers, who picked him up in other regions of Russia. “Patients from Pangody, in spite of the widespread on the Internet opinion, not been abroad — I checked it myself via a request to the border service,” — says the Governor of district Dmitry Artyukhov.
In Yakutia there was a mass infection of shift workers in the Chayandinskoye field, owned by “Gazprom dobycha Noyabrsk”. This information was confirmed by the head of the Republic Aisen Nikolaev. In his decision, the entire territory of the Chayanda oil and gas condensate field (OGCF) is closed for quarantine: here, work permit system, restricted the free movement of people (exceptions are made for those who provide the continuity of the field). For traveling workers need to obtain a negative test result for coronavirus.
“On Change to the last hid the suspected coronavirus infection and only after local authorities have sounded the alarm, subordinate to the General Director of LLC “Gazprom dobycha Noyabrsk” Igor Krutikovthat aloud, afraid to utter the phrase “coronavirus infection,” he began to move, — writes “Analpro”. — It turns out that due to the irresponsibility of top managers of “Gazprom” in the strategic field, an outbreak of coronavirus?
Ordinary workers were locked in their rooms, often without basic amenities. The boss continues, through its press service of spreading the mantra that “the situation is under control”, and the fishery continues to operate in “normal mode”.
The focus of the spread of coronavirus emerged in the Priobskoye field. In two shift camps in quarantine are about 850 people, more than a hundred of them confirmed a disappointing diagnosis. “Ill not only shift workers who worked at the Priobskoye field, but also security guards. They, in turn, infected their families”, — said the head of Rospotrebnadzor of the KHMAO Maia Solovieva. The seriousness of the situation is the fact that to inspect her came the Deputy Sechin — Vice-President of “Rosneft” on industrial safety, labour protection and ecology Christoph Niering. The second in the region a hotbed of coronavirus infection recorded near Probki — na Vakh field “Tomskneft”. There are quarantine 470 shift workers.
The diagnosis was confirmed several workers “AGD diamonds” mining and processing combine. V. Grib in Arkhangelsk region — the largest Deposit of diamonds. In all cases, official representatives of the authorities and the companies themselves claim that the situation is under control. But the prevalence of coronavirus infection in Russian fields can not but cause concern. Far too many foci.
And they occur where the risk of catching coronavirus should be minimal — isolated areas with low population density. Besides, it is strategically important companies like “Gazprom” and “Rosneft” have to apply on their industries the most stringent security measures. If it was done? In light of recent news, the question seems rhetorical.
The Ministry of energy of Russia on 20 March with an operational headquarters for combating coronavirus infection in the head of Novak. Obviously, this body also shares the responsibility for the situation on the Russian fields. But now is not the time to point fingers. The main question should be formulated as follows: can the spread of COVID-19 lead to the production decline on the Russian fields? Still, no company stated that the coronavirus caused her to dramatically change plans. They all operate on the principle: “Health is not to the detriment of the industry.”
“I think Russian companies and the government will try to do everything in their power to maintain production at expected levels, even at the cost of increasing the number of shifts, incurring all medical expenses for the infected, offers the additional remuneration due to increased danger,” — says the head of the Paris branch of the Aperio Intelligence Georgiy Voloshin, quoted by the news Agency S&P Global Plats.
Ironically, the pandemic coronavirus has already hurt the Russian oil industry itself, because of it in the world dramatically reduced the demand for energy. Now COVID-19 gets in some Russian fields. Otherwise dark times for the oil and gas industry will not name.
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