The wetland of the river Nestos in Eastern Macedonia, which is adjacent to the offshore hydrocarbon production platforms of Prinos of Kavala and the land processing and storage facilities of Nea Karvali, proves to be free of hydrocarbons.
This is stated by the managing company, Energean, based on research by the International University of Greece in collaboration with the University of Dunarea de Jos din Galati in Romania.
Research
The research was carried out in the framework of the European Union-funded program “MONITOX – Common Borders, Common Solutions” by members of the Petroleum Forensic Fingerprinting (PFF) team.
The Nestos area was selected as ideal for MONITOX research, both because it has one of the most unique biodiversity in Europe and because it is adjacent to hydrocarbon production and processing facilities.
In total, fifteen (15) water samples and six (6) sediment samples were collected from three (3) points in the Nestos flow as well as from six (6) points in the Delta area and the sea area in which the Nestos flows, during of April, August and September 2020. The presence of hydrocarbons was not recorded in any of the samples.
Conclusions
Typically, the publication of the research by the special periodical “Applied Sciences” states that “there is no evidence of environmental risks associated with the research and production of hydrocarbons of the neighboring oil and gas company.”
Statements
On the occasion of the publication of the research, Nikolaos Kokkinos, Associate Professor of the International University of Greece and Research Director of the “Hephaestus” Laboratory stated the following:
“In the framework of the European Transnational Cooperation Research Program” Black Sea Basin “entitled MONITOX, we had the opportunity to investigate the existence of oil footprints in the area of the river Nestos. Water and sediment samples were tested both along the course of the river and at its mouth in the Thracian Sea. The sampling was performed with special scientific equipment and the samples were analyzed by the method of verification of petroleum hydrocarbons using a combined technique of gas chromatography – mass spectrometry.
“With the help of state-of-the-art equipment available to us, we now have the ability to detect traces of pollutants on different substrates, to quantify them and to accurately identify their source. The recently published results of our study revealed the absence of petroleum hydrocarbons in the tested samples. A finding particularly important for our region, but also for the Nestos Delta, which is a wetland of international importance protected by the Ramsar Convention “.
For his part, Vassilis Tsetoglou, Director of Health, Safety and Environment of the Energean group stated the following:
“Warm congratulations to the team of the International University and its collaborators for this very important research and its publication. This is the fourth survey in recent years that certifies that the environment and lifestyle in the prefecture of Kavala and neighboring areas have not been affected by the activity of hydrocarbon production. It was preceded by the study of an independent laboratory in 2021 and the study of the Department of Biology of the University of Athens presented in November 2016, which showed that not only have not affected the benthic species communities (microorganisms and other life forms) in the area of the oil rigs but new populations have also developed. And, of course, the geophysical seismic survey conducted by our company in July 2015, during which a large number of dolphins, whales and other marine mammals were recorded in the Gulf of Kavala.
»The findings of the research of the International University of Greece demonstrate the special care of Energean in the field of Environment in such a sensitive area, as well as the impeccable work of the Management Body of Delta Nestos – Ismarida – Vistonida – Thassos, with which the company has entered into a strategic partnership with us “.
