Between mud pits and ponds resulting from our hydrocarbon extraction activities, decommissioned refinery units, mines, chemical plants and service stations, we have an extensive range of sites that require cleanup and reclamation following our operations there.

According to the condition of the soil and the planned use of the land (new plant, parking lot, return to nature, etc.), we provide the solution that best addresses the social, environmental, health, technical and economic issues involved, in agreement with public authorities and stakeholders.

Several years ago, we also set up a steering committee whose role is to coordinate our policy on prevention, site reclamation and soil remediation and ensure the sharing of experience among our various entities.

Staffed by a group of internal and external site reclamation specialists, the committee's purpose is to prevent and manage the risks of soil and groundwater contamination and to coordinate site rehabilitation programs (while operations are ongoing) and final reclamation plans consistent with the future land use (after site closure).

In 2008, we drew up an extensive set of guidelines and sophisticated tools to manage contaminated sites and soils, with a view to preventing, managing and mitigating risks. Our approach is spelled out in six methodological guides distributed to all internal stakeholders.
The guides are the result of teamwork and a partnership between our internal specialists and experts from the Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM), France's leading public research institution for the Earth sciences.

In 2009, we formalized our commitment by defining a plan to prevent soil and groundwater contamination and reclaim sites. We have also stepped up our overall action plan to optimize site reclamation and soil remediation operations.