Atyrau refinery inspected after air quality complaints: Materials sent to law enforcement
Tengrinews.kz – The Department of Ecology for the Atyrau Region conducted an unscheduled inspection of the Atyrau Oil Refinery following numerous complaints from residents about air quality, citing the Ministry of Ecology’s press service.
The inspection found violations of environmental requirements.
In particular, emissions calculations had not been carried out and permissible emission limits had not been established for several process furnaces at the ELOU-AT-2 and ELOU-AVT-3 crude oil processing units, as well as for tanks at the delayed coking unit.
The inspection also found that on August 25 and from September 2 to 7, 2026, emergency incidents at the combined sulfur production unit and the catalytic cracking unit resulted in emergency gas flaring. More than 100 tonnes of gas were burned during these periods. Unscheduled shutdowns and repair work were also recorded.
At several emission sources across a number of production facilities, inspectors recorded levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen dioxide exceeding established emission limits.
The inspection also identified violations related to the operation of the automated emissions monitoring system and measures intended to reduce emissions from stationary sources during periods of unfavorable weather conditions.
On October 1, 2026, decisions to initiate administrative proceedings were approved by the prosecutor. The materials were sent to court for consideration and a ruling.
In addition, inspection materials were forwarded to law enforcement agencies to determine whether there are grounds for criminal proceedings and to make an appropriate procedural decision.
Earlier, Atyrau residents complained of a strong unpleasant odor and deteriorating air quality. On the night of September 7, reports came from several parts of the city, while AirKZ data at some monitoring points showed hydrogen sulfide concentrations several times above the maximum permissible level.
A comprehensive inspection was subsequently ordered.