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Letter to Yusup Kasimov,
HSE Regulatory Officer, Dragonoil,
signed by 18 caspian NGOs

December, 26, 2002

Dear Mr. Kasimov,

As members of the public environmental control network Caspwatch, which includes approximately 50 NGOs from the Caspian countries of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan, we would like to receive detailed information regarding the international/natinal standards employed by Dragonoil for the exploration, extraction and transportation of oil in the Caspian Sea. In particular, we request the following information:

1) What standards does Dragonoil adhere to regarding permissible technologies for the loss of oil during extraction on marine platforms and during transport to pipelines? Please include reference to the document(s) in which these standards are defined.

2) What standards does Dragonoil adhere to regarding permissible technologies for the loss of oil during tanker transportation? Please include reference to the document(s) in which these standards are defined.

3) What standards, legislation or normative acts does Dragonoil adhere to in conducting transboundary Environmental Impact Assessments of projects in the Caspian?

4) What standards, legislation or normative acts does Dragonoil adhere to regarding drilling muds and their utilization on marine platforms?

5) What standards, legislation or normative acts does Dragonoil adhere to regarding the development of response plans for major oil spills in the sea and in rivers and water bodies crossed by the pipeline (including spills that may have transboundary impacts)?

6) What standards Dragonoil are used to evaluate the status of soil layers, industrial equipment, and those natural objects to be affected by the most dangerous stages of exploitation? What standards are used to evaluate the status of these same natural objects following the development of a field?

We've already mailed similar requested to the number of oil companies in the caspian region and posted at www.caspwatch.ru/tnc

Once we have received your reply, we will distribute it among the members of the network and via the website www.caspwatch.ru in order to support the mutually advantageous exchange of information between Dragonoil and the community.

Thank you in advance for your reply at caspinfo@ecoline.ru,

Samir Isaev Chair, Ecolex-Azerbaijan, Baku

Elchin Sultanov, Chair, Azerbaijan Society for the Protection of Birds, Baku

Enver Safar-Zade ISAR's Caspian Program, Baku

Boris Golubov, Socio-Ecological Union, Moscow

Aleksey Knizhnikov, ISAR's Caspian Program, Moscow

Sergey Solyanik Ecological Society Green Salvation, Almaty

Nikolai Sobolev Coordinator, Northern Eurasia Environmental Network Working Group

Aleksey Klushin Astrakhan Association, Green World

Lidia Kulizade Alga, Baku

Elena Vasilieva Volgograd

Irina Chebatyreva Volgograd

Islam Mustafaev, Ruzgar, Baku

Timur Berekeliev, Catena, Ashabad

Mamedali Ibragimov Salgym, Ashabad

Gultakin Mamedova, Baku

Natalia Mekh, Astrakhan,

Farida Guseinova, Green movement, Baku