OREANDA-NEWS. April 22, 2008JSC Orenburgneft, incorporated in TNK-BP, is intending to spend 193,5 million rubles for seismic surveys in three hydrocarbon-bearing license areas in the Astrakhan Region, it was told at a regional ministry related to the fuel and energy complex.

“The company was granted the right of subsoil use in three promising areas – Svetlosharinsky, Kirikilinsky, and Vatazhny-Severny – in 2006 for a period of 25 years as the winner of a tender for geological exploration, prospecting and production of hydrocarbons,” said a representative of the ministry.

In 2006, no works were performed by the company. In 2007, the company invested 12.2 million rubles into preparations to geological exploration works in all these three areas.

According to the information provided by the ministry, in 2008 TNK-BP is going to carry out 2D seismic surveys in the framework of a preliminary program of geological exploration works along 400 kilometers in the Vatazhny-Severny area, 200 kilometers in the Kirikilinsky area, and 400 kilometers in the Vatazhny area.

Apart from that, design and estimate documentation will be developed this year for construction of first exploration wells in each of these license areas.

JSC Orenburgneft was established in 1994. The company has 95 oil, gas, and gas condensate fields with recoverable reserves currently amounting to 250 million tons.