OREANDA-NEWS. September 24, 2012. Specialists from TNK-BP spoke to participants in the recent NeftGazTEK international innovation forum in Tyumen about a new approach to developing small fields in West Siberia. TNK-BP groups fields together using a hub concept for phased development, hooking up new blocks to existing infrastructure, reported the press-centre of TNK-BP.

Tapping hard-to-recover reserves of hydrocarbons in West Siberia is an important factor in the sustainable development of the Russia’s oil and gas industry. The need for substantial investment in new infrastructure in remote areas with relatively small fields is a major constraint on their commercial exploitation.

TNK-BP is currently pursuing an integrated project to develop Uvat in the south of Tyumen Region, wh ere 4 of 30 discovered fields are now in operation. Full-scale production at the major Ust-Tegusskoe and Urnenskoe fields has enabled the development of smaller license blocks as well by forming field hubs.

“Because we hold licenses for most of the blocks we have formed the fields into groups. Their development can be phased by hooking up new fields to infrastructure already in use at the big fields. When output starts to decline we bring on new production, and when the new production begins to fall we hook in the next group of fields. This ensures the best economics for the Company”, said Sergey Yaschenko, Department Director, Geology and Field Development for the Uvat Project at LLC TPRC.