OREANDA-NEWS. On 27 February 2008 was announced, that at present one of the “Rosneft’s” priority activities is the Krasnoyarsk Territory’s Vankor group field devilment. The information was confirmed by Sergey Bogdanchikov, President for “Rosneft”. The company head has noted that in the nearest future Vankor with its adjacent regions will form a new oil province that will allow to replace to a wide extent the traditional oil production regions. The fact that the oil field will become the principal crude oil source for the “East Siberia – Pacific Ocean” pipeline makes the Vankor project meaningful not only for the company but for Russia totally, “Rosneft’s” head stresses. At the moment the company exerts all its efforts to meet the oil field devilment schedule.

The commercial oil production at the Vankor’s oil field is planned to be commenced in August 2008 and the “Vankor – Purpe” pipeline construction will be completed in September. The oil pipeline with capacity of 19-20 million ton per year will connect the sector with the ESPO oil trunk pipeline system. The Vankor’s crude oil production will be started before the completion of the first phase of ESPO project as the oil field transport system allows to transport the oil in both eastern and western directions, Mr. Bogdanchikov added. According to “Rosneft’s” plans this year 1,9 million tons of oil will be produced at Vankor, 9,8 million tons in 2009, 15,6 in 2010 and 18,7 million tons in 2011.

“Rosneft” is planning to expand the geologic exploration in 2008 primarily for new perspective regions in Eastern Siberia. The company intends to start production at Urubcheno-Tahomsk oil field before 2012. This year “Rosneft’s” investments in assets at the prospecting stage are expected at the level of 6 billion rubles, reported by the expert portal Eastern oil pipeline.