3/26 Shell Systematically Polluted Aquifer in Turkey

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
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                   GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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SHELL SYSTEMATICALLY POLLUTED AQUIFER IN TURKEY
Greenpeace reveals that Shell was more interested in profits
than the environment
 
Istanbul, March 26, 1996 (GP) - The multinational oil company
Shell has systematically polluted a huge underground reserve
of drinkable water in an aquifer near the city of Diyarbakir
in Southeast Turkey where up to two million people live,
Greenpeace revealed at a press conference in Istanbul.
 
Internal Shell documents leaked to Greenpeace and released
today show that Shell has pumped 487.5 million barrels of
production water contaminated with crude oil, solvents and
other chemicals into the Midyat aquifer between 1973 and 1994.
(1)  
 
Shell experts are quoted in reports as saying that the
solution is the injection of the contaminated water into the
Mardin oil reservoir, where the water comes from and which is
much deeper than the Midyat aquifer. The documents reveal
money was allocated to decreasing the amount of production
water injected by half by the end of 1995.  However, this was
cancelled and most of the money clawed back before Shell sold
the operation to the
international operating company, Perenco. 

 
One memo, dated December 22 1995 states: "It is unfortunate to
see a change of priorities towards maximising cash before
divestment by sacrificing environmental targets" (2).
 
The Shell "Midyat Adsorption Study" said that an additional
172.3 million barrels of polluted water will be injected into
the aquifer by the end of 2001 (3).
 
The documents also reveal that in the "worst case" the aquifer
could be polluted up to 14-20 km away from the well by the
year 2006 and that by 2030-2060 it will be under the City of
Diyarbakir with aquifer contamination for 100-300 years.  The
reported "likely" case is pollution apparent at 2.5-5 km from
a well and contamination at Diyarbakir after 840-1000 years.
(4)   
Many of the Shell documents leaked to Greenpeace confirm that
Shell managers knew that the injection into the aquifer is
against European Union and Turkish environmental regulations.
(5)  
"Pumping polluted water into the aquifer must stop at once,"
said Berto Hullu of the Greenpeace Mediterranean Office in

Istanbul. "This practice will effect the lives of future
generations in and around Diyarbakir who, at some time in the
future, will probably have to get drinkable water from remote
areas. Shell must accept permanent responsibility for the
legacy they have left the people of Turkey."
 
Paul Horsman, Greenpeace International's Oil Campaigner, said
in Istanbul: "The double standards and the non-existent ethics
of Shell are now clear to everybody. 
 
Shell and Perenco are just keen to make money at the expense

of the environment and the people of Turkey. Shell would have
never injected polluted water into aquifers in Britain or The
Netherlands."  
 
After receiving all Shell documents, Greenpeace met with Shell
representatives in Istanbul last January. Greenpeace asked
them questions relating to the pollution of the aquifer. The
Shell representatives denied that the oil content in the water
was high as revealed by their documents.
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CALL: Berto Hullu or Paul
Horsman in Istanbul, ++90-542-2317249; or Greenpeace
Mediterranean Office spokesman Fouad Hamdan in Hamburg,
++49-40-30618447; or Cindy Baxter at Greenpeace Communications
in London, ++44-171-8330600.  
ATTENTION EDITORS: Greenpeace has the following
documents:    - Greenpeace Summary: Shell Double Standards and
Ethics:
  Polluting an aquifer in Turkey
- Greenpeace report: The systematic pollution of aquifer
- Greenpeace report. Shell Operations in Turkey
- Greenpeace factsheet: NV Turkse Shell and Perenco
- Copies of all confidential Shell documents and memos
- Shell graph showing how Shell polluted Midyat aquifer
 
NOTES:
 
1. One barrel is 159 liters. 487.5 million barrels are 77512.5
million liters. The injected water contained among other
substances crude oil, the demulsifier/solvent ShellSol-R 1:1
and chloride (Source: "Shell Midyat Adsorption Study", no
date).  
2. A memo from "EDR to MEP and EDM", copied to OM, Mr D.
Colomb (Perenco NVTS MEP Designate) and Mr, M, Veille (Perenco
NVTS OM Designate), dated 22/12/1995 and called "Subject: NVTS
Azca Water Disposal Wells" addresses the current situation and
uncertainties. The document reports on a meeting held on
7/12/1995 with the new owners, Perenco.
 
3.  Ibid 1.
 
4. In a letter from NV Turkse Shell Diyarbakir to Shell
headquarters in the Hague in the Netherlands, dated 9/9/1994
and signed by D. van Donk, are attached photocopies of
viewgraphs. Viewgraph 1: "NVTS Historical Water Injection"
shows that 487.5 million barrels of production water has been
injected into the Midyat aquifer between 1973 and 1994."
Viewgraph 3 speaks of the "Possible Consequences of Existing
Practice of Midyat Injection".  
5. In a Shell memo from Lukas dated 23/1/87, said: "EEC
regulations are clear: 'In EC countries it is not allowed to
discharge dehydration water to shallow aquifers, to avoid any
risk of contamination of sources of drinking/irrigation
water'. Turkish law is less definitive... Quote: 'It is
prohibited to discharge, store, transport and dispose
pollutants and residues to the receiving environment in a
manner harmful to the
environment directly or indirectly against standards and
methods stipulated in regulations. In cases where there is a
probability of pollution, those concerned are obliged to
prevent
pollution...' Unquote. The regulations referred to have not
yet been promulgated." 
 

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