Adzhip Karachaganak B.V. is dedicated to doing its business in a way that has the least negative effects on ecosystems and biodiversity. Simultaneously, the Company has assumed accountability for carrying out biodiversity research inside its operational domain. With an area of more than 280 km2, the Adzhip Karachaganak B.V. is located in the dry steppe zone in the northwest of Kazakhstan. Since the legal land use right has been given for the lands directly beneath the field’s industrial facilities, pipelines, and roads, Adzhip Karachaganak B.V.’s operational area is restricted. Many other parties own and are responsible for the land surrounding the Adzhip Karachaganak B.V. facilities.

The Company complies with its obligations to protect animal migration routes in accordance with Article 17 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Protection, Reproduction and Restoration of Wildlife. All forms of hunting and fishing are forbidden on AKOGCF land, as per the Adzhip Karachaganak B.V. «Area of Enhanced Controls in Karachaganak Field» protocol.

One strategy to stop ecological disruption and biodiversity loss is the Adzhip Karachaganak B.V. Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). This strategy was created using the methodology outlined in Standard 1.3.1.47 ESHIA and the IPIECA / IOGP associations’ Guide to Preserving Biodiversity Measures for the Oil and Gas Industry. It is predicated on the evaluation of activity risks and potential environmental impact.

Three major groups comprise the AKOGCF’s main ecosystems: steppe, aquatic, and riverine ecosystems, as well as agricultural ecosystems. Furthermore, manmade areas such as infrastructure, production facilities, and roadways occupy the remaining field space.

Agricultural Ecosystem

The predominant kind of ecosystems at the AKOGCF and its surrounding areas are agricultural and fallow fields. This covers fallow fields as well as fields that are heavily farmed for crops. A range of natural vegetation cover restoration stages, from weed to wormwood and steppe communities, define fallow areas. It is anticipated that natural steppe vegetation would recover during a 25–30 year timeframe.

Steppe Ecosystem

The AKOGCF territory’s natural state is characterized by two major ecosystems, namely the riverine and steppe. Steppe ecosystems are currently patchy, largely found in river valleys and gullies—that is, in places that have not yet been ploughed. Numerous animal species can be found living in the floristically rich plant groupings. Steppe environments are home to a wide variety of ornithofauna, both transiently and permanently. Even the tiny quantities of steppe ecosystems identified at the AKOGCF are significant for the preservation of nature because of the global reductions in these ecosystems.

Aquatic and Riverine Ecosystems

The Berezovka River basin, which is situated between the Ilek and Utva Rivers, is home to the AKOGCF. There are two main streams that feed the Konchubai Gully; the bigger one is the Kalminovka Gully. A vast variety of common and uncommon plant and animal species can be found in riverine habitats.

Many different plant and animal species can be found in the AKOGCF area, including rare species that are unique to the AKOGCF and species that have been red-listed by Kazakhstan and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). While Adzhip Karachaganak B.V. must take these species’ existence into account while organizing or carrying out operations in the region, it is inappropriate to use their abundance or presence as a gauge of the company’s environmental performance.

This is because factors unrelated to Adzhip Karachaganak B.V.’s operations that operate at the global or landscape scales have the potential to alter the species population. Any changes in these species’ abundance would need to be viewed within the broader framework of population trends for the species. Adzhip Karachaganak B.V. endeavors to conduct its operations in a manner that minimizes the likelihood of direct or indirect effects on certain species populations. Since 2011, when the Adzhip Karachaganak B.V. production activities have been monitoring the flora and fauna in the Karachaganak field, no adverse effects on the habitats of these species have been noted.

A comprehensive assessment of the quantity and habitats of river beaver (castor fiber) species was conducted in 2021 as part of the monitoring of important species of fauna number. There was a decline in beaver settlements in the spring of 2021 as compared to earlier times. Even with the decline, there are still more beavers in the area throughout the spring than there are in the neighboring areas. The water level in the majority of reservoirs was abnormally low in 2021, and some ponds dried up, which had an impact on the beaver population and habitat. This was observed during both the spring and fall beaver monitoring seasons. Beavers are most likely to relocate to the large reservoir on the Berezovka River, which is mostly not covered by the research.