Gazprom JV Starts Development Drilling in Siberia
Rusgazalyans, a 50:50 joint venture between Russia's Gazprom and its private parter Rusgazdobycha, has started development drilling at the Semakovskoye gas field in Western Siberia, it said on May 29.
Gazprom and Rusgazdobycha formed Rusgazalyans in 2017 to develop three fields containing 450bn m3 of gas in the Yamalo-Nenets region. The largest of these is Semakovskoye, which holds 350bn m3, according to Rusgazalyans. The other two deposits are Parusovoye and North-Parusovoye.
Work has begun on the first production well, which will be drilled at an angle with a 2,700-metre length but only an 830-metre vertical depth. It is due for completion before the end of June.
The plan is to sink 19 wells at Semakovskoye, including six by the first quarter of 2021. Most of the field is situated in shallow waters of the Gulf of Ob, and therefore two artificial drilling islands will be built to target these resources. A third well cluster will be onshore.
The field will also feature a 7.3bn m3/yr gas treatment facility and a 45-km pipeline will be built to deliver its gas to Gazprom's former giant Yamburgskoye field, where it can be fed into the national grid. First gas is expected in 2022.
Gazprom and Rusgazdobycha are also working together in the $13bn construction of a gas processing and LNG complex at the Baltic port of Ust-Luga. The pair plan to select an engineering contractor for the project this year.