Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, confirmed work in 11 sites at the level of the Gulf of Suez over the past three years, as part environmental sanitation projects in companies operating in the petroleum sector in the Gulf of Suez region, using the latest technologies to get rid of water associated with oil refining and production operations, at a cost of about 7 billion. pounds to reconcile the conditions of these companies.
This came during the Minister of Environment’s statements to the media at the end of her inspection tour of environmental sanitation projects in companies operating in the petroleum sector in the Gulf of Suez region.
The Minister of Environment stated that the infringing drainage on the Gulf of Suez has been completed in 3 sites, and the rate of completion of work to complete the infringing drainage in 6 other sites is more than 70%, as work will be completed in 11 sites by the end of 2023, and the GUPCO company is also completing the plan to reconcile the situation. This comes within the framework of implementing environmental sanitation projects in joint and fruitful cooperation between the Ministries of Environment and Petroleum and based on the directives of the President of the Republic to reduce pollution in the Gulf of Suez, to oblige all establishments that discharge on the Gulf of Suez to implement environmental sanitation plans, to stop drainage permanently. To protect the marine environment and biodiversity in the Red Sea.
The minister stressed that Egypt is keen on transferring technology in the field of water treatment plants associated with exploration and oil refining, explaining that despite relying on German technology in implementing the stations; However, the installation was done by Egyptian hands, and she continued that the petroleum sector stations have complex technologies that are implemented according to the nature of the work of each company, whether it is a production or refining company.
The minister stressed that the Egyptian government, during its journey to achieve environmental compatibility for the petroleum sector, did not overlook the importance of the marine environment and the preservation of coral reefs, especially since studies indicate that coral reefs in the Red Sea are the most resilient to the effects of climate changes in the world, and an important sector in the Egyptian economy is based on them. Tourism sector, which necessitates preserving them, so the state is taking stricter measures to preserve coral reefs, and help companies located in the Gulf of Suez to comply with environmental standards.
At the end of the day, the Ministers of Environment and Petroleum undertook a field trip to the Gulf of Suez region, to follow up on the environmental situation there. The extent of recovery achieved for coral reefs in the region, and this is another evidence of the ability of the Red Sea reefs to withstand the challenge of climate change and pollution and their ability to recover and reproduce rapidly if they are helped to do so. The variation in the color of the water observed through satellites is also studied in the context of a number of factors, including The size of the difference in the color of the water in the same area over a large period of time, and the works that are carried out in this area and the extent of their impact, so that it shows us any difference that occurs as a result of pollution and how to deal with it.
