OREANDA-NEWS. March 30, 2010. TNK-BP is planning to launch commercial production from the Kulikovskiy oil & gas licence block in Saratov Region in 2014, Vladimir Meshkov, director of TNK-BP Povolzhye (TNK-BP Management’s Branch in Saratov) told journalists on Thursday.

“In time – we reckon somewhere around 2012—2014 commercial production will begin”, said Meshkov.

He noted that TNK-BP is returning to the oil production sector in Saratov region. As reported previously, in 2005 Russneft paid over USD 515 mln (14.4 billion roubles) to buy OJSC Saratovneftegaz – the main oil and gas producer in Saratov region – from TNK-BP.

“Our specialists, together with Rosnedra, are keeping a close eye on what other [oil and gas – Interfax] licence blocks might be put up for sale. If some particular block is commercially attractive it might be acquired”, said Meshkov.

TNK-BP Povolzhye’s public affairs division clarified to Interfax-Povolzhye that Orenburgneft (part of TNK-BP) began drilling exploration and appraisal well No.50 at the Kulikovskiy block in Saratov region’s Perelyubskiy district in February 2010. According to the division, the Kulikovskiy block is predicted to hold 8.52 mln tons of oil and 10.572 bcm of gas.

As reported previously, Orenburgneft obtained the subsoil rights to the 118 km2 Kulikovskiy oil and gas licence block in March 2007. It has also been reported that TNK-BP plans to spend at least 400 million roubles in 2010 on exploration work in the Kulikovskiy and Kamelikskiy oil and gas blocks – both in Saratov region — for which development rights are held by Orenburgneft.