Water

Freshwater Withdrawn² The increase in freshwater withdrawn in 2021 compared to previous years is due to the consolidation of Borealis. The majority of freshwater withdrawn at Borealis is once-through cooling water, meaning it is discharged to the environment in its original quality, only with a very slightly elevated temperature. See Environmental Data for details.

In megaliters

OMV uses significant amounts of water for its operations in its upstream and downstream activities. Freshwater is used, for example, for drilling, steam generation, and cooling, among other processes. Smaller amounts of water are also used for non-industrial purposes. Produced water is treated for reinjection to pressurize hydrocarbon reservoirs in order to optimize the extraction rate. Desalinated water is used in some offshore operations. Refineries and various other operating facilities also use brackish and/or recycled water for various operational purposes. Some of OMV’s operating facilities are located in water-stressed areas.¹ Water-stressed areas are areas where the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use. In such areas, water stress causes deterioration of freshwater resources in terms of quantity (aquifer overexploitation, dry rivers, etc.) and quality (eutrophication, organic matter pollution, saline intrusion, etc.). Source: European Environmental Agency.

Freshwater Withdrawn² The increase in freshwater withdrawn in 2021 compared to previous years is due to the consolidation of Borealis. The majority of freshwater withdrawn at Borealis is once-through cooling water, meaning it is discharged to the environment in its original quality, only with a very slightly elevated temperature. See Environmental Data for details.

In megaliters

Specific Policies and Commitments

Our Water Ambition Statement is OMV’s public commitment to water management, and says the following:

• We respect water as a precious limited resource and focus on its sustainable use.
• We are committed to meeting all applicable legislative requirements or our OMV regulations – whichever is more stringent.
• Water management is a key component of our social license to operate. We cooperate with local communities and prove to be responsible partners.
• We are committed to transparency when it comes to our impact on water resources.
• Every OMV employee is responsible for minimizing the impact of our activities on water resources.

The OMV Group Environmental Management Standard requires all OMV businesses and activities to minimize the impact of effluents on the environment and on local communities, and outlines specific requirements for wastewater discharge onshore and offshore. The direct discharge of wastewater on land, in wetlands, or in other water bodies without prior treatment is not permitted. No discharge may alter or diminish the value of the receiving environment. All discharge must be systematically monitored, and any environmental impact must be managed appropriately. Local regulatory and river basin authorities are involved to ensure that OMV is in compliance with local environmental regulations and has obtained all of the required permits.

Management and Due Diligence Processes

OMV’s Group-wide Water Strategy was drafted in 2014 and is based on five strategic pillars: transparency; risks and opportunities; water efficiency and treatment; training and awareness; stakeholder engagement.

Risk Assessments

High-level water stress assessments are conducted on an annual basis. OMV uses international tools and indexes, such as Verisk Maplecroft’s Water Stress Index complemented by the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Aqueduct Baseline Water Stress Index, as well as own assessments as required, to identify operations in areas affected by water scarcity and water stress. A bottom-up approach in the assessment of water-related risks is taken in accordance with OMV’s Group-wide Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) guideline to ensure consistent qualitative assessments of operational risks and impacts related to the environment, including water. Significant risks are integrated into OMV’s Enterprise-Wide Risk Management (EWRM) system. When entering a new country or considering new operational activities, OMV primarily uses the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Aqueduct and Verisk Maplecroft indexes to identify future potential water-related constraints, such as baseline water stress, groundwater stress, and seasonal variability.

Given that some regions where OMV Petrom operates have already experienced water stress in dry years and that a further decline in water availability is expected, mainly due to climate change, we continuously conduct risk assessments. The water risk assessments are performed by using an international methodology developed by WWF. Both river basin data and industrial activity data are analyzed. The evaluation takes into account physical criteria, including water scarcity as well as compliance and reputational aspects. In any case, we deem it necessary to continue implementing measures for efficient water use. Results from these water risk assessments are used as input for assessing climate change-related water stress risk.

Water-management-related risks are closely linked with the topic of spill prevention. Offshore operations may lead to oil spills with significant impact on marine water resources and ecosystems. The response strategy aims to minimize the probability of such risks and maximize readiness so that we can provide timely remediation measures in the unlikely event of an oil spill. OMV allocates significant resources to prevention and mitigation measures (read more about spill prevention in the section Spills). Any new or existing offshore drilling activity is accompanied by a third-party analysis evaluating the magnitude of a major event and its possible consequences. As part of the biannual Group-wide EWRM process, water-related risks and mitigation measures are assessed in a larger strategic context, while a systematic approach is taken in day-to-day operations to monitor and to manage high-impact/low-probability risks, such as blowouts during offshore drilling.

Management Plans and Technologies

Operating facilities located in places that are affected or are likely to be affected by water scarcity issues and operations utilizing significant water resources (e.g., Tunisia) are prioritized when developing and implementing water management plans. These plans aim to allow sustainable long-term production with minimal effects on the environment. One measure to reduce freshwater withdrawal to a minimum is the installation of recirculating cooling systems.

In addition to implementing measures to reduce freshwater withdrawal, we implement the best available technologies to sustainably treat water. For instance, after a technology optimization campaign in Schönkirchen, we can now operate our produced water treatment plant without the use of water clarification chemicals. By achieving even better treatment efficiency, we are able to additionally reduce 75% of the residual volumes for thermal disposal. Furthermore, we have developed a highly effective innovative filtration technology that uses crushed recycled glass.

Stakeholder Engagement

Our impact on water resources is important to various stakeholders. We engage with government authorities, such as river basin management authorities, on compliance with water use rules and environmental parameters relating to wastewater generated. We also engage with local water utilities about the supply of freshwater for OMV operations and the treatment of wastewater. We additionally work with NGOs on environmental preservation and water resource conservation, as well as with local communities on the sharing of local water resources and the quality of discharged wastewater. For instance, in Austria, there are local fishermen who fish the Danube River in Schwechat close to both the refinery and the Lobau tank farm, and in the harbor there, with whom an active and open dialogue has been maintained for years. In areas where OMV operations require large amounts of water, or areas that suffer from water stress, it is particularly important to include local stakeholders in water management activities in order to secure a “social license to operate.” OMV water management activities pursue socially equitable water use, and OMV regularly carries out supplier audits to ensure compliance with our human rights requirements.

To ensure that the interests of local communities are known and taken into account during the project life cycle, OMV conducts social baseline studies and community needs assessments as part of Social Impact Assessments (SIAs). If these assessments identify the need, OMV launches community projects aimed at increasing access to clean water for local communities. Our Community Grievance Mechanisms also enable communities to raise concerns about water-related issues. (For more information, see Community Impacts and Grievances.)

2021 Actions

The following key activities were carried out across the Group in 2021:

• In 2021, our operations in Yemen applied new water management plans and wastewater management procedures. The wastewater treatment plants, installed a few years ago, were upgraded, now allowing the treated water to be used for irrigation in this very arid environment. Furthermore, improvements were made in produced water management. Before, a simple plastic liner was used in the produced water evaporation ponds. In 2021, an HPDE liner was installed. Oil skimming barriers were also installed. These surround the floating oil to prevent it from spreading over the water’s surface, and increase its thickness to facilitate recovery. The oil can thus be diverted to a suitable collection point for removal, and the increase of clear surface water increases the water evaporation rate.
• At the Schwechat refinery, more than 800,000 m³/year of water is being conserved by implementing targeted measures. This corresponds to more than 5% of the average annual water consumption there. The majority of the reduction was achieved by implementing a control concept for the cooling water in a heat exchanger group in the ethylene plant. Additional measures included the optimization of a cooling tower and the introduction of special operation modes for summer and winter periods, a systematic screening for possible leakages with immediate repairs, and the identification and adjustment of temporary water withdrawals.
• In 2021, our subsidiary Borealis became a member of the UN Global Compact and signed the UN Sustainable Ocean Principles. These commit companies to restoring and maintaining a healthy and productive ocean. Stopping the leakage of plastics into the environment and the oceans is a global challenge. Borealis is actively engaging in addressing this issue by advancing the circular economy of plastics, keeping the material in the loop, and thus preventing it from becoming waste in the first place. Moreover, Borealis has initiated Project STOP, a pioneering program to support cities in developing and emerging countries to establish cost-efficient, effective, and more circular waste collection systems. Read more on actions Borealis is taking to prevent plastic leakage on the Project STOP website.

Outlook

As part of our Sustainability Strategy 2030, we aim to reduce freshwater use. As a next step, we plan to establish quantitative targets to improve water management. In 2022, we plan to evaluate joining international initiatives, such as the CEO Water Mandate, to formalize our commitment to equitable water use. We will also continue our efforts to recycle water wherever possible.