CEPSA: CEPSA COMMITS TO REDUCE FRESHWATER WITHDRAWAL IN WATER-STRESSED AREAS BY 20% BY 2025

As part of its transformation plan, Cepsa has set a target of reducing freshwater capture in water-stressed areas by 20% by 2025, compared to its use in 2019. This decision, which is one of the most ambitious in the international energy sector, will save more than 3 million cubic meters of fresh water per year.

The objective has been set by the Water Board, a company working group that analyzes water management in its activities to identify and evaluate initiatives and projects that help to make more efficient use of this resource. With this internal interdisciplinary committee, Cepsa aims to boost its efforts to increase efficiency in the use of water in all its businesses, especially in areas of water stress, and to improve knowledge of the water cycle in its large production facilities to continue increasing the percentages of recycled and reused water.

The company will undertake various initiatives to reduce its freshwater consumption. One highlight is the reuse project at the wastewater plant of its Energy Park in San Roque, Cádiz, which will reduce water consumption by 20% thanks to a significant improvement in wastewater treatment that will put wastewater through an ultrafiltration process to improve its quality by converting it into reusable water that can be used in the cooling towers. Also noteworthy is a project to improve the liquid effluent treatment plant at La Rábida Energy Park, which will save 7% of the water consumed annually by this facility.

Álvaro Díaz Bild, Director of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) at Cepsa said: “At Cepsa, we set ourselves ambitious challenges to make a positive contribution to society and the future of the planet. The commitment we are announcing today places us at the forefront of the sector, in an area in which we are already a benchmark, but we 1/3 want to continue advancing. The ecological transition goes beyond promoting sustainable energies; it also involves managing natural resources responsibly. Cepsa recognizes the importance of water as a source of life and the fundamental right of people to access and availability of fresh water. Water is essential to our operations and a priority for the company, which is why we are firmly committed to its efficient and responsible use.”

Cepsa is one of the leading companies in its sector in water management, with an A Leadership rating in the Water Security ranking prepared by CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project). This non-profit organization analyzes the work of nearly 13,000 companies from all sectors and countries every year, making it the world’s leading environmental information platform. Only 7% of companies in the Oil & Gas sector managed to position themselves in 2021 at the Water Leadership level, placing Cepsa above the average for the sector and the region (Europe).

The company’s ambition in this regard also extends to the third parties with whom it works. Cepsa’s corporate policy of sustainable procurement, for example, prioritizes contracting companies that are concerned about environmental issues, especially the responsible use of water resources or that have decarbonization plans.

Through these initiatives, Cepsa contributes to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 14 (Undersea Life), in addition to others that Cepsa has established as priorities, such as SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).