Azernews.Az

Nazrin Abdul

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Environmental protection during drilling operations in the Caspian Sea requires a tailored approach.

Azernews reports that this was stated by Konul Ahmadsoy, Senior Advisor to the Department of Expertise of Projects and Regulatory Documents on Nature Protection at the State Ecological Expertise Agency of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, during the IADC Drilling Caspian 2025 conference in Baku.

“We approach the operations carried out in our country with extreme caution. While operators sometimes refer to standards or technologies used in regions like the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, or the Persian Gulf, the Caspian is a completely different case. The Caspian is a closed water basin, and methods, including environmental protection measures used in open seas, may not be suitable here,” she explained.

The expert highlighted that the ecological issues in the Caspian Sea are compounded by its unique biology and limited self-recovery capacity. For years, intensive oil and gas production in the region has had a negative impact on the environment, as these activities began before the full environmental risks were understood.

Ahmadsoy pointed out that Azerbaijan has extensive experience in the oil and gas sector and is considered one of the leaders in drilling. Recently, safety and environmental protection have become top priorities in the field.

She also noted that companies operating in Azerbaijan are now giving more attention to environmental protection. “Development must be sustainable. Preventing pollution and environmental degradation during oil and gas production is crucial,” she added.

The expert also discussed the importance of the achievements at the COP29 conference held in Baku and their influence on global environmental policy.