Gazprom Records Spurt on Arctic Licences

Russian gas giant Gazprom says 20 applications for new arctic exploration have been forwarded to Russian regulators. 

Gazprom said it sent applications to sub-surface resources agency Rosnedra for 20 licenses for blocks in the Barents, Kara, East Siberian and Chukchi seas.

The company made the comment in a release about development of the Russian continental shelf, which it said is receiving much attention after a period of neglect.

Gazprom said parts of the Russian continental shelf had been "poorly explored". But there was a potenital aggregate hydrocarbon resource around 100 billion tons of fuel equivalent, of which some 80% is gas, it said.

 This year the company produced its first volumes of oil from the Prirazlomnoye oil field in the Pechora Sea using a stationary platform designed specifically for operations in arctic conditions.

Melting arctic sea ice is exposing areas believed to hold deposits of oil and natural gas.

This year production will start in the Kirinskoye gas and condensate field as part of the Sakhalin III project, Gazprom said.

Earlier this month energy major Shell said it was considering joint exploration programmes in Russia's arctic region with Gazprom.