Oxy’s HES Principles call for a sustained effort to protect the environment, including actively promoting habitat preservation and biodiversity. Minimizing unnecessary disturbance of wildlife habitat is a key tenet of conservation.
Oxy’s expertise in EOR advances this objective by dramatically extending the life and productivity of mature oil fields, minimizing the need to move into new areas where habitat has not been disturbed. EOR uses existing infrastructure such as roads, pipelines and storage and processing facilities to recover additional oil and gas with less impact on the environment. EOR provides significant net environmental and economic benefits in habitat conservation and the efficient use of existing infrastructure.
Application of new drilling technology also plays an important role in minimizing habitat disturbance from oil and gas development activities. One of the most important technologies in this regard — directional drilling — makes it possible to complete a number of wells from a single drill pad, reducing the need for land disturbance and enhancing protection of environmentally sensitive wetlands or aquatic habitats. Other techniques such as slimhole drilling and coiled tube technologies decrease waste volumes, reduce drill pad size, and can reduce noise near the well site compared to traditional well drilling.
Oxy’s efforts to protect biodiversity are further strengthened by our active membership in the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), a nonprofit organization that helps landowners enhance wildlife habitat. WHC’s Corporate Wildlife Habitat Certification/International Accreditation Program recognizes commendable wildlife habitat management and environmental education programs at company-owned properties.
Oxy has developed and promoted WHC-certified wildlife habitat conservation and education programs at eight sites. Oxy’s 7,932-acre habitat conservation area at the Elk Hills oil field in California has been WHC-certified since 1999. In 2008, OxyChem’s plant in Wichita, Kansas, was recognized as a WHC Signature of Sustainability for its creation of a 440-acre Prairie Wetland Conservation Area.