OREANDA-NEWS. July 29, 2010. Acquisition work fulfilled by contractor’s vessels in the sea of Okhotsk took almost three weeks. The 4D survey is critical to Sakhalin-2 project to optimise further development of the Astokh area of the Piltun-Astokhskoye field and the oil recovery, reported the press-centre of Sakhalin Energy.

As of today 4D survey is the best real-time control tool for the field development.

The 4D survey results will allow to optimise current work from the economical point of view (seismic surveys help to avoid drilling in wrong directions, which can happen when there is no clear data of a field), as well as in terms of environmental impact mitigation.

In addition to the seismic survey Sakhalin Energy and Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel (WGWAP) developed a special detailed monitoring and mitigation programme to minimise impact on the Western Gray Whales.

In 2009 following the recommendation of the Panel Sakhalin Energy took a decision to postpone the survey until 2010 in order to reduce the disturbance for whales. The decision was highly appreciated by international external stakeholders and NGO communities.

Today Sakhalin Energy can announce the successful completion of the survey with full accocunt of WGWAP recommendations.