Oxy’s Health, Environment and Safety (HES) Principles call for a sustained effort to protect the environment, including actively promoting habitat preservation and biodiversity. Minimizing the disturbance of wildlife habitat is a key tenet of our conservation efforts.

Oxy’s expertise in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) advances this objective by dramatically increasing the productivity of mature oilfields, thereby minimizing the need to move into areas where habitat has not been disturbed. EOR uses existing infrastructure such as roads, pipelines and storage and processing facilities to recover additional oil and gas – providing significant environmental benefits in habitat conservation and the efficient use of existing infrastructure.

Application of directional drilling technology also plays an important role in minimizing habitat disturbance from oil and gas development activities. This technology allows Oxy to complete a number of wells from a single drill pad, reducing the footprint of cleared land in environmentally sensitive areas. Other techniques reduce waste volumes, drill pad size and noise near the well site compared to traditional well drilling.

Oxy works closely with national, regional and local government agencies to study natural flora and fauna species in our operating locations, minimize disruption of those species and preserve and restore habitat. Our efforts to protect biodiversity are further strengthened by our active membership in the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), a nonprofit organization that helps landowners enhance habitat. WHC’s Corporate Wildlife Habitat Certification/International Accreditation Program recognizes commendable wildlife habitat management and environmental education programs at company-owned properties.

Oxy has eight facilities in seven states that apply WHC-certified habitat enhancement programs and looks forward to working with the WHC to manage habitat on other Oxy properties in the future.