The head of Gazprom Nedra LLC presented the company’s Arctic projects at the International Energy Forum in Norway
Subsoil assets of the Arctic continental shelf of the Russian Federation represent a unique reserve for the economic development of Russia at least for the rest of this century. This was announced by Vsevolod Cherepanov, General Director of Gazprom Nedra LLC, in his videoconference speech at the International Energy Forum 2021, which took place in Oslo (Norway) on 2 and 3 November.
Vsevolod Cherepanov emphasised that Gazprom Nedra LLC, PJSC Gazprom’s operator in the field of geological exploration on the Arctic shelf, is participating in the implementation of the strategic task of developing offshore projects facing the parent company today.
According to him, Gazprom Nedra conducts active exploration work on the Arctic shelf, including seismic research and deep drilling at 19 licensed areas in the Barents and Kara Seas. Within the last five years, a considerable volume of 3D seismic surveys has been carried out — 34.5 square kilometres with eight exploration targets prepared for deep drilling.
Vsevolod Cherepanov spoke at the International Energy Forum via video conferencing
“The presence of a well-developed gas transportation infrastructure on the Yamal Peninsula as part of the mega-project to create the Yamal gas production centre contributes to the development of the mineral resource base within the Priyamal shelf of the Kara Sea,” said Vsevolod Cherepanov. “Since 2017, six prospecting and appraisal and exploration wells have been drilled in the Kara Sea, which have yielded significant increments in commercial gas reserves. Gazprom Nedra takes a leading position among Russian companies in terms of the volume and results of geological exploration of subsurface resources on the Arctic continental shelf.”
The General Director also said that in the 2021 drilling season at two licensed areas in the Kara Sea PJSC Gazprom’s own drilling rigs are utilised — the Arkticheskaya jack-up drilling rig for the construction of a prospecting well in the Skuratovskaya area and the Severnoye Siyaniye semi-submersible drilling rig — for the construction of an exploratory well at Leningradskoye gas condensate field.
At the same time, Vsevolod Cherepanov told the audience about a fundamentally new plan for construction of wells on the Arctic shelf that was recently adopted by the company. It provides for the use of one offshore drilling rig in two water areas (on the shelf of the Barents and Kara Seas) in one inter-ice period. According to this plan, one prospecting or exploration borehole is being built on the Barents Sea Shelf in open water from April to June. Upon completion of the work, when the Kara Strait (the strait between the islands of Vaygach and Novaya Zemlya) opens and the water area is cleared of ice, the drilling rig is relocated, and from July to November it is constructing a borehole in the licensed areas of the Kara Sea. According to Gazprom Nedra experts, such approach, in addition to the tasks associated with preparing the fields for development and increasing the resource base, will reduce the cost of well construction due to the synergistic effect.
At the end of the presentation, the head of Gazprom Nedra stressed that the company’s activities on the shelf of the Russian Federation are carried out in full compliance with the requirements of process and environmental safety.
Reference
Gazprom Nedra LLC is a 100 % subsidiary company of PAO Gazprom and ranks among the major Russian multi-business oil and gas service companies. In 2019 Company production potential was expanded due to integration of Gazprom Georesurs LLC and Gazprom Geologorazvedka LLC assets.
The Company carries out a complete centrally managed cycle of exploration works in the RF and provides its clients with a wide range of unique geophysical and geoengineering services.
Gazprom Nedra LLC is the main source of Gazprom Group geophysical data in the sphere of raw materials production, reduction of operational expenses and geophysical activities efficiency evaluation, calculation of gas deposit and storage reserves, and environmental safety assurance.
Company subdivisions are located in all gas producing regions of Russia. Its staff totals over 4,500 people. Company administration offices are located in Moscow and Tyumen. The Company uses a based on the GOST ISO 9001 standard, a health and safety management system in accordance with ISO45001 and an environmental management system which meets the requirements of the international standard ISO 14001:2015 (GOST R ISO 14001).