The Centre’s key function will be to provide full engineering, technological and geological support in well construction, with DCC specialists monitoring the construction of almost 30 production and exploratory wells and side-tracks round-the-clock, controlling each stage of the production process from cluster-pad preparation to well commissioning. The Centre’s staff will include 50 experienced and highly qualified engineers, geologists, designers and supervisors, who will be involved in organising drilling operations, managing production efficiency, and implementing new technologies.

The DCC has been designed around the principle of a common information space, meaning the entire well-construction cycle can be moved over to digital format, creating an electronic analytical knowledgebase for optimising business processes. Cutting-edge software and AI capabilities will mean all key drilling process parameters can be monitored concurrently. The Centre’s engineers will receive information on potential deviations online, and make the necessary adjustments. The DCC will also ensure effective cooperation between drilling companies and oilfield services organisations.

This new unit has been established with specialist support from the Gazprom Neft Science and Technology Centre — the company having previously established its GeoNavigator well-construction control centre, Project Management Centre, the St Petersburg Energy TechnoHub, and the Gazpromneft-Technical Partnerships industry integration centre. These units develop and deploy new oil production technologies, manage large volumes of digital data, and ensure fast and effective decision making.