OREANDA-NEWS. A revised production schedule for Gazprom Neft’s Prirazlomnoye field, recently approved by Russia’s Federal Subsoil Resources Management Agency (Rosnedra), has seen the field’s “peak” production period increased from three years to five. Sustainable drilling over this period means oil production will be increased by a factor of 1.8, to 23.1 million tonnes. New capacity and adjustments to certain aspects of production and transport infrastructure should see annual peak production volumes reach a total 4.8 million tonnes. The revised production schedule also envisages a 12-percent increase in total C1 and C2 reserves, to 263 million tonnes — as a result of which the field’s productive lifetime is also increased, to 36 years.

This increase in oil-bearing acreage is the result of the reinterpretation of seismic data, confirmed by the State Reserves Commission. The peak-oil production period has been extended as a result of close analysis of accumulated data, leading to greater efficiency in field development and allowing the number of wells to be drilled to be reduced from 36 to 32 — giving the greatest possible scope in the selection of approved recoverable reserves, as well as improving project viability as a result of lower capital expenditure on drilling.

Gennady Lubin, General Director, Gazpromneft Shelf, commented: “The experience we have gained in working on Prirazlomnoye field has significantly improved efficiency in developing the field, and we are continuing to develop the first oil-production project on the Russian Arctic shelf.”