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Technical Summary

Sampling was conducted from the vessel Svetlomor 2 by personnel from AmC, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR) and SOCAR. Sediment samples for physical and chemical analysis consisted of 2 replicates, while 3 replicates were taken for biological analyses. Analyses were carried out at AmC Caspian Environmental Laboratory.

In general the survey stations around the SDX-5 well site were found to have well sorted very fine silt sediments with low variation in metal and hydrocarbon concentrations.

Relationships were found to be present between metals Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn. With the exception of phenols all hydrocarbon parameters were interrelated, with the proportions of UCM and NPD indicating that all hydrocarbons present were weathered.

The macrobenthic community had a low abundance and species richness and was characteristic of the area and depth. Overall no relationship was found to exist between any of the measured variables and the community structure, with the low species richness and abundance likely being due to the depth of the survey area exceeding 500m.

Comparison to previous baseline data indicated change at one station adjacent to the well location. Samples from this station indicated the presence of WBM contaminated drill cuttings, with coarser grained sediments, very high concentrations of Ba and the absence of the metal relationships evident at all other stations.

Hydrocarbon analysis of samples from this position revealed an LAO signature indicating the presence of SBM in addition to the WBM. These samples also had a high proportion of NPD which suggests the likely presence of cuttings contaminated with LAO and also reservoir fluids.

LAO was detected in one other sample and two stations had slightly elevated concentrations of Ba.

Sampling was conducted from the vessel Svetlomor 2 by personnel from AmC, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR) and SOCAR. Sediment samples for physical and chemical analysis consisted of 2 replicates, while 3 replicates were taken for biological analyses. Analyses were carried out at AmC Caspian Environmental Laboratory.

The sediment characteristics and metal concentrations around Chirag were found to be highly variable within and between stations, with generally little change being observed from 2008. Despite the detection footprint remaining unchanged from previous years, LAO concentrations continue to reduce. THC and PAH concentrations were generally low, with the highest concentrations being recorded at stations directly to the northeast of the platform.

Ba concentrations were highest within the LAO contamination footprint, suggesting the higher concentrations to be the result of historical drilling discharges. As observed on previous years the concentration of Cd was also highest within this area. The LAO and Ba footprint, indicating the extent of contamination from platform drilling discharges was found to extend 1250m NE, 500m N, 750m E, 1000m W and 250m S of the Chirag platform position.

The 2010 macrobenthic community was numerically dominated by polychaetes and amphipods.

Abundance and species richness were highest at stations on the periphery of the survey area and decreased towards the platform. The lowest abundance an taxonomic richness were found at stations within the LAO and Ba footprint, with the sparsest communities being present at stations directly to the northeast of the platform. Despite a continual reduction in hydrocarbon concentrations from 2006, a general reduction in abundance and taxonomic richness has been observed at the Chirag survey area from 2000 to 2008. This negative trend has reversed in 2010, with a survey wide increase in annelid abundance and amphipod abundance and taxonomic richness being observed. No distinct change in the physicochemical characteristics has been observed between 2008 and 2010 that can be attributed to the abrupt reversal of these trends.

No additional physicochemical impacts from operational activities have been observed between 2008 and 2010 and in general contamination levels continue to reduce