Gazprom Neft has undertaken a fracking operation unique to the industry at the Bazhenov Formation, setting records in terms of the number of stages, and the speed and volume of fluid injection into strata. Fluid was injected into the strata at a speed of 14 cubic metres per minute, involving total fluid injection of 2,000 cubic metres — a 3.5-fold and six-fold increase on industry averages, respectively, facilitating a 2.2-fold increase in inflows of Bazhenov oil.

The Bazhen Technology Centre is consistently improving fracking technologies, experimenting with fracking-fluid composition and volumes, injection speeds, and the number of fracking stages involved. New approaches to developing the Bazhenov Formation are being tested at the Palyanovsky test-site of the Krasnoleninskoye field in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug.* Commercial inflows have been obtained at all wells. The outcomes of these activities are expected to lead to commercial technologies for developing the Bazhenov Formation by 2021: these are, in turn, expected to become profit-generating technologies by 2025.

«Developing non-traditional reserves is only possible using innovative technologies and equipment — the development of which is something Gazprom Neft is currently paying particular attention to. The successful tests undertaken at the Bazhenov Formation confirm the correctness of our predictions. The ultra-complex challenges involved in developing the Bazhenov Formation are stimulating the development of unique domestic technologies, as well as creating the opportunity to start developing a new kind of reserves, more generally», - commented Vadim Yakovlev, First Deputy CEO, Gazprom Neft.

Source: gazprom-neft.com