Offshore Oil and Gas Production in Russia
1. Sakhalin-1 Project
The Sakhalin-1 project involves the development of three offshore fields: Chaivo, Odoptu-Sea, and Arkutun-Dagi, which are developed using the most progressive technologies. At the Odoptu field, oil is produced from an onshore site (the Krechet drilling rig) using super-extended reach horizontal wells; at the Chaivo field, oil is extracted from the Yastreb onshore site (drilling rig) and the Orlan platform through the wells with record-length boreholes, while the Arkutun-Dagi field is developed using a unique drilling platform, Berkut. The oil from the project fields is delivered to the Chaivo onshore oil treatment facility (Sakhalin Island) and then transported by pipeline to the De-Kastri oil export terminal in the Khabarovsk Territory.
In August 2018, the crude oil volume exported since the production start-up of the Sakhalin-1 project in 2005 achieved 100 mmt.
2. Northern Tip of the Chaivo Field
Oil production at the northern tip of the Chaivo Field involves five wells that have a unique, complex design, and extended reach. The wells are equipped with high-tech completion systems comprising inflow control devices to minimize gas breakthroughs and maximize oil production. Since the development launch in 2014, the field oil production was amounted to 6.6 mmt. Similarly to the Sakhalin-1 project, Sokol light oil is produced at the filed. Its high quality allows selling this oil grade at a premium to Dubai and Oman grades.
3. Odoptu-Sea Field (Northern Dome)
The Odoptu-Sea field (the Northern Dome) is Russia’s first offshore field brought into production and producing oil since 1998. LLC RN-Sakhalinmorneftegaz is the field operator producing oil and gas at the Odoptu-Sea. One production well was drilled and commissioned in 2018 to maintain oil production.
4. Lebedinskoye Field
The crude oil extracted at the Lebedinskoye field has a quality grade similar to Sokol crude. The Lebedinskoye field (in the Sea of Okhotsk) began oil production in 2014 and is operated by LLC RN-Sakhalinmorneftegaz.
5. Novoye Field
Rosneft develops the Novoye field in the Sea of Azov. The field trial production started in 2016. LLC Priazovneft is the field operator producing oil and gas at the Novoye field. Rosneft’s stake is 51% and LUKOIL’s stake is 49%. During 2018, preparations were made for drilling exploration well No. 2, and the start of drilling is scheduled for 2019.