Gazprom Neft has completed the first phase of its mass COVID-19 preventative testing, covering both company employees and contracting organisations responsible for ensuring continuous production throughout the company’s industrial locations. Testing has made it possible to identify any carriers of the virus at an early stage, in the absence of any external symptoms, and identify contact groups for isolation pending confirmation of diagnoses. Test analysis is being undertaken at Rospotrebnadzor-certified laboratories (the Federal Service for Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare).

Fully-inclusive testing, the preventative detection of latent forms of the disease (together with isolation) and anti-epidemiological initiatives are effective measures in combatting COVID-19 at facilities in continuous operation.

Regular and repeated testing of Gazprom Neft employees throughout the company’s industrial enterprises will be ongoing. To that end, the necessary test stocks have been procured, and are constantly being replenished. Seventy-eight thousand people are currently working throughout the Gazprom Neft Group of Companies and, in line with repeat-testing requirements, more than 90,000 Russian- and internationally-produced COVID-19 tests have already been distributed throughout the company’s production facilities.

Employee testing forms part of the company’s comprehensive “Antivirus” anti-COVID 19 programme, the key objectives of which are putting barriers in place against the spread of the virus, taking initiatives to protect the health of employees and contractors, and minimising the risk of any production shutdown.

Special measures have been put in place throughout the company’s industrial facilities, including at remote oilfields. Field shifts have been increased to three months in order to cut the number of changeovers and the number of employees moving around the country at risk of infection. A “clean shift-handover” system is being put in place, with workers remaining under medical care for a week prior to being sent to a field.

On-shift quarantine restrictions have been deployed to isolate anyone potentially infected, sickbays have been set up, and additional sickbays and medical staff organised. Employees working at production facilities have all necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), deep-cleaning and disinfection of premises is being undertaken, and non-contact shift handovers are in place.

Evacuation plans in the event of an acute outbreak of the disease have been developed, for even the most inaccessible locations. Medications have been acquired to ensure anyone ill is cared for pending the arrival of a medical team or prior to evacuation.

Employees’ body temperatures are being recorded remotely at refining facilities, and company vehicles and premises are being disinfected regularly. Strategies for identifying and differentiating incoming personnel at businesses’ entry points are being utilised. Employees are complying with mandatory PPE requirements and wearing masks, respirators, gloves, etc. All personnel over the age of 60 have been moved over to remote working (“working from home”). All administrative and managerial personnel who can work remotely have been moved over to working from home, using digital “remote office” technologies.

The company will continue taking all measures necessary to ensure the health of its employees and the continuous operation of all production processes. Procurement of ventilators and mobile testing kits, to allow swift analysis at remote fields, is currently ongoing.