OREANDA-NEWS. February 14, 2012. In Havana (Cuba) a meeting of Zarubezhneft’s management with the Deputy Chairman of the State Council and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cuba Ramiro Valdes Menedez and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz was held, at which also Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation M.L. Kamynin was present.

In the course of the discussion, N.G. Brunich told about the realization of the joint petroleum projects of Zarubezhneft and the state company Cubapetroleo. A special attention was paid to the offshore Block L and Boca de Jaruco field, which are currently the priority areas in the Cuban projects of Zarubezhneft. The company is intended to concentrate the investments on these two directions in particular. Head of Zarubezhneft has also informed that the company is ready to start drilling of the exploration well in the Block L in the second half-year of 2012, and that currently preparation works are being carried out.

In the course of the meeting long-term plans on the Russian-and-Cuban projects realization have been discussed for the forthcoming three years. Russian participants of the meeting replied the questions of R. Valdes and R. Cabrisas, connected with the operating aspects of projects realization. Representatives of the leadership of Cuba expressed their readiness to render a comprehensive assistance to the two state companies during their joint operation.

The same day, the Russian delegation met the Minister of the Basic Industry of the Republic of Cuba Tomas Benitez Hernandez, as well as the head of Cubapetroleo and the specialists of the oil-and-gas industry of the Republic. The parties have discussed in detail the points regarding the joint activities in the area of carrying out preparation works for the drilling in the Block L. A particular emphasis was placed on questions of ecological safety in project execution.

On December 16, 2011 in the premises of Cubapetroleo, the meeting of Administrative Committee was held, at which the execution of the program works and cost budget under the projects for the year 2011 was approved, and also the work program and the budget for the year 2012 was adopted.