Caspian Basin Alert - Human Impacts

	Caspian Basin Alert Human Impacts of Oil & Gas Development By Amanda Dolan and Kristina Miller
CASPIAN BASIN OIL/GAS PAGES Home Environment impacts Human impacts Industry overview Physical environment Countries Economics Pipeline politics Corporations Fossil fuel use Map gallery Photo gallery A class project by students in International Environmental Problems & Policy (Geography 378, Fall 2002, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA) Assistant Professor of Geography Zoltan Grossman grossmzc@uwec.edu (715) 836-4471 P.O. Box 4004, Eau Claire, WI 54702 USA	For the past decade, a major question in Caspian Basin has been, "How do we divide the oil found beneath the Caspian Sea?" There are at least five countries involved in this debate, and each one wants the maximum amount of sea area from which they can retrieve oil. The debate, however, rarely takes into consideration how oil development will affect the people of the region. This page is dedicated to exploring that question. . Theoretically, the whole of each country's population should economically benefit from oil discovery, extraction, transportation, and sale. This oil opportunity could provide economic growth, jobs, good prospects, and other benefits. The oil development could very well do nothing to improve the quality of life. The governments need to set down ground rules and be careful not to harm the environment or the economy. Many people are potentially in the position to be hurt. In the relatively short time since the discovery of oil in the Caspian, already more than 1500 cubic kilometers of the lakes and seas surface, the death rate among pregnant females and newborns has steadily risen, and the drinking supplies have not only been reduced, but they often do not fulfill government standards. (The Trascaspian Bulletin) Pollution has already become a fact of life in the Caspian, and this alone could alter peoples lives. As some benefit from profits and/or jobs, others may lose their livelihoods as the sturgeon population steadily drops. Some families depend on the continuation of the level of sturgeon both for fishing and for the extraction of caviar. As more and more of the shores are used for drilling establishments, and ever increasing amounts of the water is polluted, a steady population in the area is going to have to find a new way to provide for their families. Their lives will no longer be supported by their fishing, or caviar extraction. Also there has been testing which has revealed traces of oil in the soil. This could significantly impact the agriculture business. (Caspian Environment Program) In response the oil companies have been making promises to clean up any environmental damage. They have offered to give back to the communities and help to better the standard of living. All of which they are very capable of doing. In return for accepting them into the region and allowing them to drill for the oil, the companies have offered to provide jobs for a large amount of the population, assist in local causes, and pour money into the still developing economies. People in Kazakhstan oil regions are paid better, but have to pay higher prices. They are very well- off when they travel to poorer regions. This could cause regional class resentments. Also, as protection against any unfortunate disasters, the local government of Kazakhstan, put into place new legislation and regulations: Water Code (1993) Provisions on Forest Ecosystem and Monitoring (1993) Law on Privatization (1995) articles 18 and 23. Law on Petroleum includes sections Bowels and Environmental Protection in the Exploration of Oil and Gas Fields and Environmental Protection, Human and Personnel Safety art. 46-49, Law on Emergency Actions of Natural and Technogenic Nature (1996) Law on Ecological Expertise (1997) Several regulations and provisions such as Special Ecological Conditions to Carry Out Geophysical Study in the Kazakhstan Caspian Sector (1995), Provisions of the Order of Harmful Substances Burial and Discharge of Sewage into Bowels (1996), Safety Regulations and Environmental Protection in the Construction and Exploitation of Underwater Pipelines and Cables Connected with Oil Activities (1996), Provision on Land Monitoring (1997), Provision on Underground Resources Monitoring (1997), Regulations of the Order to Conduct Offshore and Land-based Oil Activities (1997). Now, we are not going to try to explain any of these laws in a detailed way, but each one has the same purpose: to protect both the people and the environment from being harmed by the oil frenzy. It remains to be seen how effective these laws will be enforced. In conclusion we would like to suggest that while one may support the search for oil and the benefits of refining and selling it, one must also protect the environment and human health. In protecting the environment the officials are providing for the continued health and happiness of the people in the area as well. To learn more about this topic please feel free to explore any or all of the links below. Planetary Notions The Trascaspian Bulletin Caspian Environment Program Coastal Management in Kazakhstan .




CASPIAN BASIN OIL/GAS PAGES

Photo gallery
A class project by students in
International
Environmental
Problems & Policy
(Geography 378, Fall 2002, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA)

Assistant Professor
of Geography Zoltan Grossman grossmzc@uwec.edu

(715) 836-4471
P.O. Box 4004,
Eau Claire, WI 54702 USA

For the past decade, a major question in Caspian Basin has been, "How do we divide the oil found beneath the Caspian Sea?" There are at least five countries involved in this debate, and each one wants the maximum amount of sea area from which they can retrieve oil. The debate, however, rarely takes into consideration how oil development will affect the people of the region. This page is dedicated to exploring that question.

Theoretically, the whole of each country's population should economically benefit from oil discovery, extraction, transportation, and sale. This oil opportunity could provide economic growth, jobs, good prospects, and other benefits. The oil development could very well do nothing to improve the quality of life. The governments need to set down ground rules and be careful not to harm the environment or the economy.

Many people are potentially in the position to be hurt. In the relatively short time since the discovery of oil in the Caspian, already more than 1500 cubic kilometers of the lakes and seas surface, the death rate among pregnant females and newborns has steadily risen, and the drinking supplies have not only been reduced, but they often do not fulfill government standards. (The Trascaspian Bulletin)

Pollution has already become a fact of life in the Caspian, and this alone could alter peoples lives. As some benefit from profits and/or jobs, others may lose their livelihoods as the sturgeon population steadily drops. Some families depend on the continuation of the level of sturgeon both for fishing and for the extraction of caviar. As more and more of the shores are used for drilling establishments, and ever increasing amounts of the water is polluted, a steady population in the area is going to have to find a new way to provide for their families. Their lives will no longer be supported by their fishing, or caviar extraction. Also there has been testing which has revealed traces of oil in the soil. This could significantly impact the agriculture business. (Caspian Environment Program)

In response the oil companies have been making promises to clean up any environmental damage. They have offered to give back to the communities and help to better the standard of living. All of which they are very capable of doing. In return for accepting them into the region and allowing them to drill for the oil, the companies have offered to provide jobs for a large amount of the population, assist in local causes, and pour money into the still developing economies. People in Kazakhstan oil regions are paid better, but have to pay higher prices. They are very well- off when they travel to poorer regions. This could cause regional class resentments. Also, as protection against any unfortunate disasters, the local government of Kazakhstan, put into place new legislation and regulations:

Water Code (1993)
Provisions on Forest Ecosystem and Monitoring (1993)
Law on Privatization (1995) articles 18 and 23.
Law on Petroleum includes sections Bowels and Environmental Protection in the Exploration of Oil and Gas Fields and Environmental Protection, Human and Personnel Safety art. 46-49,
Law on Emergency Actions of Natural and Technogenic Nature (1996)
Law on Ecological Expertise (1997)
Several regulations and provisions such as Special Ecological Conditions to Carry Out Geophysical Study in the Kazakhstan Caspian Sector (1995), Provisions of the Order of Harmful Substances Burial and Discharge of Sewage into Bowels (1996), Safety Regulations and Environmental Protection in the Construction and Exploitation of Underwater Pipelines and Cables Connected with Oil Activities (1996), Provision on Land Monitoring (1997), Provision on Underground Resources Monitoring (1997), Regulations of the Order to Conduct Offshore and Land-based Oil Activities (1997).

Now, we are not going to try to explain any of these laws in a detailed way, but each one has the same purpose: to protect both the people and the environment from being harmed by the oil frenzy. It remains to be seen how effective these laws will be enforced.

In conclusion we would like to suggest that while one may support the search for oil and the benefits of refining and selling it, one must also protect the environment and human health. In protecting the environment the officials are providing for the continued health and happiness of the people in the area as well. To learn more about this topic please feel free to explore any or all of the links below.

Planetary Notions

The Trascaspian Bulletin

Caspian Environment Program

Coastal Management in Kazakhstan