Courtesy of rosneft.com

Rosneft is performing the drilling of the northernmost exploratory well on the Eastern Arctic shelf following a comprehensive geological study. During the drilling of the Tsentralno-Olginskaya-1 well from the shore of the Khara-Tumus Peninsula on the shelf of the Khatanga Bay of the Laptev Sea, three core samples were taken from depths of 2305 to 2363 m, which showed high oil saturation dominated with light oily fractions. On the basis of primary studies already, it can be concluded that a new oil field has been discovered, the volume of the resource potential of which is increasing as the drilling continues. Core sampling continues at the moment.

Hydrocarbon saturation of the core samples proves the geological model developed by Rosneft experts. The obtained result of the drilling at the Khatanga licenced area allows Rosneft to be considered a pioneer of deposit discoveries on the Eastern Arctic shelf.

The Company was awarded the licence for Khatanga development in November 2015. Gathering and set-up of drilling equipment were carried out in the shortest time possible owing to harsh weather conditions. On April 3, at the Russian president Vladimir Putin's command Rosneft embarked on drilling of the Tsentralno-Olginskaya-1 well. The significance of Rosneft project was emphasised by the Russian president during a video conference on the drilling start. «In fact, work on the whole petroleum province has been started, which, even according to preliminary data, contains millions of tons of oil equivalent. Horizontal drilling is a complex and high-tech operation. This is just the first well. There is much more work ahead. I would like to wish you good luck and I hope for this undertaking’s success» - the President of Russia said.

In April Rosneft Head reported to Vladimir Putin that the preparation for drilling had been completed in record-breaking time. «With your support, we gained the right to work on the Khatanga block just over a year ago.»

Tsentralno-Olginskaya-1 is the first well that will be drilled under the offshore area of the Laptev Sea.

The Khatanga licence area is located in the Khatanga bay, the Laptev Sea in the North of the Krasnoyarsk Region. Area acreage is 17,217.5 km2; sea depth reaches 32 m.

Currently, Rosneft owns 28 licence areas on the Arctic shelf with the total resources of 34 btoe.

Since 2014 the Company has completed outstanding geoexploratory works in the Laptev sea - 21 linear km of seismic studies that revealed the existence of 114 promising oil and gas-bearing structures. Preliminary estimates suggest that the Laptev Sea’s total potential geological resources could come to 9.5 btoe.

Source: rosneft.com