According to the public relations department of Sarvak Azar, the operation for the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnances is underway in the Azar oil field and this project is ahead of the specified schedule as some 82% progress rate has been recorded.
The head of the project for the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnances (UXO), Asadpour, asserted that the project in the PAA phase included the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnances in four locations namely P30, P36, P26 and P31. He noted that the project would run for three months, with the following clearance volumes:
- Visual clearance: covering some 1,643,928 square meters
- Surface clearance (up to a depth of 60 cm): covering some 1,643,928 square meters
- Deep clearance (up to a depth of 6 meters): covering some 272,220 square meters
- Minefield clearance: covering some 60,000 square meters
Asadpour highlighted that the mine and UXO clearance operation began on November 21st 2024 and ended on December 22nd 2024. This operation received the support of the company's senior management, the PAA head and the site managers. The clearance of three locations namely P30, P36 and P26 was completed on December 10th, December 9th and December 22nd 2024, respectively. This operation was completed ahead of the schedule and respective definitive clearance documents were issued.
Asadpour added that as a major part of location P31 was located in a minefield, the clearance operation had begun using the minefield method which had achieved more than 38 percent progress so far. He noted that it was hoped that the operation for this location, like the previous three locations, would be undertaken without any incidents and ahead of the schedule.
Appreciating the efforts of the HSE team and those of supervision and clearance contractors, he underlined the challenges for carrying out clearance operations at the aforementioned locations such as the seasonal rainfalls leading to more than 4 days stoppage of operation and the need for reconsideration of the plan), the slope of the land, the existence of hills, the need to build an access road for ambulances and clearance team equipment to enter the locations, and the severe contamination of these areas with war debris, mines and unexploded ordnance.
Some of the mines and ammunitions discovered in these locations with explosive potentialities included two 60-mm mortars, one TS-50 anti-personnel mine round, five hand grenades, 6 RPGs, three grenade barrels and other war stuff.