Alongside safety, protecting the environment is one of the top priorities in all our activities and work processes.
Objectives and measures in the area of the environment from report 2025
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Emissions to air, water or soil
Emissions into the air, water or soil are not only harmful to the environment but also pose a risk to health.
Air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) may appear during the use of fossil fuels. The processing of crude oil and the use of petroleum and natural gas for energy may produce particulate matter, sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
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Emissions management
In order to avoid air emissions within our area of responsibility as far as possible and to reliably comply with legally prescribed limits, we adhere to the highest standards in emissions management and in our integrity management system (see Plant Safety). Among other things, the latter also ensures that there are no leaks in gas, oil and reservoir water pipelines that could contaminate the vital resource of water – with potentially serious consequences for habitats and ecosystems.
All facilities are operated within the officially approved framework conditions and limit values. Proof of this is provided by regular inspections carried out by independent testing institutes. Planning, construction, and operation follow state‑of‑the‑art technology and are drawing on many years of experience. Thanks to our comprehensive preventive actions, pollutant emissions into water or soil are not recorded during normal operations.
However, if leaks occur in facilities, components, pipes, or liquid media such as crude oil or reservoir water, contaminating water and soil, this is handed over to licensed companies for environmentally sound disposal after appropriate expert classification.
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Resource management
Water: Water is one of humanity's most important resources, which is why careful handling and efficient use are essential. The regions where RAG’s operating facilities are located are not in any water-stressed areas; this is regularly reviewed and reassessed as part of our materiality and climate risk analysis. Despite our currently low water withdrawal, we place great emphasis on the responsible use of this resource. In the medium term, however, an increase in water consumption is expected due to the planned expansion of hydrogen production.
Waste: We manage natural resources responsibly and focus on efficient, sustainable solutions. In line with the principles of the circular economy, we prioritize extending the service life of our facilities, the economical use of non-renewable raw materials, and the targeted reuse and recycling of materials.
To effectively implement the principles of the circular economy in practice, we conduct regular inspections and training sessions to ensure proper waste separation and environmentally sound disposal. Actions for waste minimization, proper disposal and the regeneration of nature through the dismantling of facilities no longer in use are firmly anchored in our company-wide integrated HSE management system. In this way, we ensure that sustainability is reliably practiced in all our processes.
If you would like to learn more about our targets and progress in addressing environmental pollution, please refer to the Sustainability Report 2025.