Objective 4
To take into account environmental protection criteria when selecting new investment projects, solutions and technologies
In most cases, industrial activity does have an environmental impact. This is usually harmful to the environment; air pollution, water contamination, depletion of drinking water resources and reduced biodiversity are all examples of this impact. For centuries, especially in the industrial era, man exploited the environment to satisfy his needs. However, the emergence of the first material effects of this irrational management of natural resources has brought about a gradual change in attitudes.
The initiatives currently being undertaken on numerous levels share the single common purpose of eliminating or reducing the adverse effects of human activity. This is consistent with the sustainable growth principle, which provides for enough growth to meet the needs of today’s generation without depriving future generations of the ability to satisfy theirs. This principle also drives the PGNiG Group’s pro-environmental initiatives.
Initiatives/best practices
Reduction in emission of greenhouse gas and other air pollutants
The present legal framework for greenhouse gas emission reduction has necessitated the implementation of CO2 emission monitoring and reporting process at PGNiG Group entities covered by the emissions trading system (EU ETS).
PGNiG Group entities reduce their emission of greenhouse gases and other gas and dust pollutants released into air through:
- use of gas as a low-emission fuel,
- fuel use monitoring,
- reduction in process energy consumption,
- upgrade and replacement of the existing sources of heat for process needs.
| Installation | National Emission Allocation Plan Number | Emission volume allocated [Mg] | 2011 emission volume Mg] | Remaining [Mg] |
| KPMG Mogilno | PL- 898-08 | 26,642 | 17,438 | 9,204 |
| PGNiG SA Odolanów Branch | PL-562-05 | 11,181 | 12,528 | -1,347 |
| PGNiG SA Odolanów Branch | PL-950-08 | 30,495 | 30,761 | -266 |
| PGNiG SA Zielona Góra Branch Dębno Oil and Gas Production Facility |
PL-563-05 | 31,664 | 30,371 | 1,293 |
| Total | 99,982 | 91,098 | 8,884 |
The PGNiG Group’s subsidiaries and branches have all implemented internal and external systems for gas quality control, as part of their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, they also use their own ISO 17025-compliant laboratories to conduct measurements and comparative analyses, control and validate the correct operation of process chromatographs, maintain internal spreadsheets recording CO2 emission volume calculations, and upgrade their gas consumption metering systems. Uniform emission indicators have been developed for methane emissions from the mining sector, and work is underway in the gas sector on a single settlement methodology for gas emissions, to be employed by all gas companies.
By conducting crude oil and natural gas exploration and production operations, along with upgrade, repair and maintenance operations, PGNiG SA entities generate gas and dust emissions caused by internal combustion engines (vehicle and machines), heat sources or other process sources, as well as by industrial processes involved in the production and processing of crude oil and natural gas at mines, in the gas distribution network, and in auxiliary work (painting, welding, wood processing, galvanising, etc.) at all entities, in particular at maintenance branches of PGNiG Technologie.
Pollutants are released in an organised manner (through point sources and stationary sources) and as diffuse emissions, e.g. from the painting process.
Over one hundred and thirty different substances are emitted by the many industrial processes. The emissions primarily include gases (SO2, NOx, CO, CO2, CH4), dust (from fuel combustion, silicon, carbon, graphite and other), hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alcohols, acids, heavy metals, metallic and non-metallic elements. Air pollution resulting from fuel combustion in internal combustion engines does not count towards the total pollution impact because there are currently no indicators to calculate emissions from internal combustion engines.
Carbon dioxide from fuel combustion by heat and process sources accounts for about 94% of all emissions, followed by methane (some 5.5%) and other substances, notably from industrial processes. Methane is released during process and emergency natural gas venting from the distribution system pipelines and plant, from mining plant at production facilities and from controlled blowout of wells by exploration companies.
Emissions of primary gaseous pollutants, such as methane and carbon dioxide, have stayed flat on the figures from previous years (chart – logarithmic scale). However, 2011 saw an increase, on 2010, in the emissions from fuel combustion at heat and process sources, sulphur dioxide (by 36%), carbon monoxide (12%) and nitrogen oxides (converted to NO2) (by 8%) emissions, as well as a slight increase in particulate matter (dust) emissions (by 2%).
The increase results from gas production volume growth by production companies, which involves increased use of fuel by process sources.
The total 2011 methane emissions by PGNiG SA entities reached 35,738.435 Mg, which represents a 10% drop in comparison with 2010 (chart). The drop in the emissions primarily results from a 30% decrease in methane emission from distribution networks. In turn, the volume of methane emitted during natural gas denitrification in the course of controlled blowout at production and exploration companies increased by 48% and 31%, dropping by 1% at the Odolanów Branch.
