On the state of atmospheric air in the Vitebsk region

The Vitebsk Regional Committee for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection informs about the state of atmospheric air in the Vitebsk region, including in the city of Novopolotsk and the Polotsk region.

The economy of the region and the city of Novopolotsk is based on petrochemical enterprises unique for the Republic of Belarus: Naftan OJSC, Naftan OJSC "Polimir" plant, and the "Druzhba" oil product transportation enterprise, which make the main contribution to the air pollution of the Polotsk region.

Naftan OJSC accounts for 58% of the gross emissions of pollutants into the atmospheric air of the Vitebsk region and 89% for the city of Novopolotsk. The increase in gross emissions in 2012 compared to 2011 by 18250 tons (19.8%) for the region is explained by the following factors:

In 2012, Naftan OJSC processed 10.6 million tons of oil (600 thousand tons more than in 2011). Since 2009, there has been an increase in the sulfur content in the crude oil supplied to the enterprise. If in 2009 the sulfur content in oil was 1.35% by mass, then in 2010 – 1.42%, in 2011 – 1.47%, and in 2012 – 1.51%. In 2011, this growth was compensated by diluting oil from the Russian Federation with oil from Venezuela (1 million tons with a sulfur content of 0.7% by mass). Since the beginning of 2012, Venezuelan oil has not been supplied to Naftan OJSC. The increase in sulfur content in oil and the volume of oil processing naturally leads to an increase in hydrogen sulfide formation.

Currently, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus has instructed the Belneftekhim concern to take all possible measures to limit the sulfur content in the supplied oil to a level not exceeding 1.5%.

In the near future, the most important measure to reduce the impact on atmospheric air is the construction of a elemental sulfur production unit "Klaus" at OJSC "Naftan". The program for the development of the industrial complex of the Vitebsk region until 2015, approved by the decision of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies dated December 18, 2009 No. 196, sets the completion date for the facility as 2014. The commissioning of this unit, together with other energy and resource-saving measures being implemented at the enterprise, will reduce emissions by 30 thousand tons per year. In 2012, OJSC "Naftan" alone spent 421.7 billion rubles on air protection measures.

The state of atmospheric air in Polotsk and Novopolotsk is monitored by a comprehensive environmental laboratory at five stationary posts for twelve main and specific pollutants. At two of these posts, monitoring is carried out around the clock in automatic mode with data transmission to the information and analytical center in Minsk.
According to the results of stationary observations in 2012, exceedances of average daily MPCs for such pollutants as nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and formaldehyde were observed in isolated cases, mainly during unfavorable meteorological conditions for dispersion. No cases of high or extremely high atmospheric air pollution were recorded in the region.

Karpenko T.P.,
chief specialist of the state control department
for the protection and use of atmospheric air and water resources committee