By pressing the symbolic start-up button Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee of Gazprom, Chairman of OJSC Severneftegazprom’s Board of Directors Alexander Medvedev and General Director of OJSC Severneftegazprom Stanislav Tsygankov started the project which is to be the beginning of the large-scale development of Turonian gas deposits of the Russian Federation.
“I would like to thank the staff of OJSC Severneftegazprom and everybody who contributed to and initiated, in point of fact, a new stage of gas industry development in Russia which implies the development of difficult gas reserves,” - said Alexander Medvedev. – Yuzhno-Russkoye field is one of the resource bases for the Nord Stream Pipeline. Making it possible to secure new volumes of gas supplies in the future the project of Turonian deposits development which OJSC Severneftegazprom has embarked on contributes to the achievement of the important goal of OJSC Gazprom as gas supplier for a new gas transportation project – to secure stability and continuity of supplies to Europe”.
“Turonian deposit reserves are estimated at over 300 billion cubic meters of gas which means a potential production increase of 5-8 billion cubic meters annually. Turonian development project is relevant to the entire gas industry development. However, it requires a special approach, the use of unique and innovative technology solutions. Through the accumulated productive potential and professionalism of all participants in the project we managed to successfully accomplish the objective and to start Turonian development. In the near future we hope to prepare the Turonian deposit for commercial production. To become a pioneer of Turonian development is a great honour and a special status for OJSC Severneftegazprom and for OJSC Gazprom in general,” - said Stanislav Tsygankov.
OJSC Severneftegazprom holds the license for the development, construction and production of hydrocarbons of Yuzhno-Russkoye oil and gas field (YRNGM) located in the Krasnoselkup area of Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region. Gas reserves in categories АВС1+C2 amount to more than 1 billion cubic meters. Production was raised to the design level of 25 billion cubic meters per annum in August 2009, ahead of a year. The shareholders of OJSC Severneftegazprom are OJSC Gazprom (owns a controlling block of shares), BASF SE and E.ON AG. OJSC Severneftegazprom develops the Cenomanian deposits. The Company has also ibarked on a project of development of the Turonian deposits and can be called a pioneer as no other company in Russia developed the deposits before.
Turonian deposits are classified as difficult (depth of 810 to 840 m). The peculiarities of the deposits are their abnormally high formation pressure, low reservoir tiperatures, heterogeneity and variability of lithology, low reservoir permeability. The development of Turonian deposit using vertical wells traditional to Cenomanian deposit appears to be feasible. The Company is actively searching for new technologies and is currently developing the Turonian deposit in a mode of pilot production of a multilateral well which is unique in its design and construction. The special design of the well with a flat end and a specially designed dual Christmas tree considers the structural features of the reservoir and enables to efficiently extract gas. The well was drilled on the existing well cluster base and was connected to Cenomanian gas gathering facility systi.
The company plans to prepare Turonian deposit for commercial development within 2023-2025.