Specialists from TNK-BP told the participants of recent NeftGazTEK international innovation forum in Tyumen about a new approach of 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.

 

Tapping hard-to-recover reserves of hydrocarbons in West Siberia is an important factor in the sustainable development of 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, where 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 big fields. When output starts to decline we bring new fields on production, and when production at new fields starts 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.

 

The share of TNK-BP’s overall production coming from the Uvat project is continuously growing. Output in 2012 is expected to reach 7 million tones – an increase of 18.6% compared to the last year.