In Russia and abroad

The development plans of the mineral resources base realized by PAO Gazprom in Russia and abroad do not assume cardinal changes today. Within the country the special attention will still be paid to exploration work in Yakutia and Irkutsk region, on the Yamal Peninsula and also on the shelf of the Far East and Arctic seas. Beyond its limits the emphasis will be placed on studying of subsoil of the North Sea, Bolivia, Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan. Meanwhile Gazprom, of course, will also look for new opportunities for expanded reproduction of mineral resources base.

Prospecting in Russia

The driving in prospecting drilling of PAO Gazprom (without Gazprom Neft) in the territory of Russia made over 79 thousand meters of rocks in 2016, 27 search and estimated and prospecting wells are finished with construction, 821 linear km of seismic works 2D and more than 20 thousand sq.km of seismic exploration 3D are executed. Exploration work was carried out in the European part of Russia, Eastern and Western Siberia, as well as on the shelf of the Arctic and Far East seas.
In Eastern Siberia and in the Far East works on additional exploration of Chayandinsky, Tas-Yuryakhsky, Verkhnevilyuchansky, Sobolokh-Nedzhelinsky and Srednetyungsky fields in Yakutia, and also Kovykta in the Irkutsk region were performed.
There was an additional exploration of Tambeysky group and the Kruzenshternsky field in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area, the main fields which are in operation (Yamburg, Bear and Urengoy) and also works on search and investigation of deposits of hydrocarbons in Jurassic and Achimov deposits, to studying the nadsenomansky deposits were performed.
On the shelf of the Russian seas considerable volumes of seismic works 3D (13.6 thousand square kilometers) on the license sites received in 2014-2015 in the Barents and Kara seas are executed. During prospecting works on the Kirinsky perspective site in 2016 by results of construction of an exploration and appraisal well on Southern Lunsky structure considerable inflow of natural gas and gas condensate is received. The main volumes of explorative drilling account for the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area, seismic works — on the shelf of the Barents and Kara seas.
By results of exploration work in the territory of Russia five new deposits on earlier opened fields in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area (Medvezhye, Vostochno-Medvezhye, Pestsovoye and Severo-Parusovoye) and the Tomsk region (Mirnoye) are revealed. Total reserves of hydrocarbons of new deposits on the sum of industrial categories made more than 41 million tons of equivalent fuel in oil equivalent. The opening of a senonsky deposit on the Medvezhye field confirming gas content prospects in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area of these deposits which represent considerable interest as reserves of reserves of gas for the developed fields with the falling production has special importance here.
In total at the expense of exploration work which is carried out in 2016 the gain of stocks of PAO Gazprom (without Gazprom Neft) in the territory of Russia made about 584 million tons of equivalent fuel, including about 457 billion cubic meters of natural gas and also 39 million tons of gas condensate and oil. Completion of reserves of natural gas of corporation made thus 109% (gas production last year, without Gazprom Neft, was at the level of more than 419 billion cubic meters). As a result of exploration work the industrial value of the Kovykta and Chayandinsky fields, and also Southern Kirinsky (shelf of the Sea of Okhotsk) is significantly increased due to transfer of stocks to higher industrial categories.
Besides, as a result of receiving PAO Gazprom of the license for the subsoil plot in the Nenets Autonomous Area including Layavozhsky and Vaneyvissky fields, reserves of gas of corporation increased even more than on 223 billion cubic meters.

Chayanda

In 2016 Gazprom finished investigation and preparation for industrial development of stocks of the Chayandinsky oil-gas condensate field which is key field for creation of the Yakut center of gas production. Exploration work on this field was started in 2008. So far here it is finished with construction of 50 wells, more than 96 thousand meters of rocks are drilled 1.5 thousand linear km. of seismic exploration of 2D and 6.3 thousand sq.km of 3D are executed. Today all Chayanda Square is covered with seismic prospecting shooting 3D. In 2016 here one prospecting well with the horizontal termination is finished with construction, cameral seismic prospecting works 3D are finished, a gain of explored reserves is nearly 87 billion cubic meters of natural gas. The current explored reserves of a field on the categories C1+C2 made about 1.4 trillion CBM of natural gas, about 77 million tons extracted oil and gas condensate and also about 8 billion cubic meters of helium. At the moment Chayanda is completely prepared for industrial development.

Kovykta

The Kovykta gas-condensate field is key for creation of the Irkutsk center of gas production. Exploration has been conducting on it since 2012. By 2017 five wells are finished with construction, 21 thousand meters of rocks are drilled, about 5.1 thousand sq.km of seismic prospecting works 3D are executed on the field. Last year three prospecting wells were finished with construction, more than 2.1 thousand sq.km of field seismic exploration 3D was executed, the gain of explored reserves of natural gas of more than 138 billion cubic meters was received.
Last year calculation of stocks on the Kovykta gas-condensate field is executed and approved by The State Commission of Stocks of Rosnedra. Explored reserves of the field (taking into account unallotted fund) as of the beginning of 2017 make on the sum of the categories C1+C2 over 2,7 trillion CBM of gas, 91 million tons of gas condensate and about 8 billion cubic meters of helium. End of exploration work on Kovykta is planned in 2019.

Tambey

Additional exploration of Tambeysky group of fields in the north of the Yamal Peninsula (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area) proceeds. Exploration work is carried out on Malyginsky, Tasiysky, North Tambeysky and West Tambeysky license sites. Licenses for a right of use subsoil of fields of Tambeysky group were provided to PAO Gazprom in 2008. For the beginning of 2017 on fields of Tambeysky group seismic prospecting works 3D in volume of about 2.7 thousand sq.km were performed, 14 explorative wells were drilled. The gain of stocks exceeded 296 billion cubic meters of gas and nearly 12 million tons of the condensate (extracted).
As of the beginning of 2016 total reserves of natural gas of Tambeysky group made about 2.6 trillion CBM on the category C1+C2. Last year here one well (Malyginskaya) is finished with construction and tests in an operational column of eight wells were conducted.

Medvezhye

In 2016 additional exploration of a nadsenomansky gas complex on the Medvezhey gas-condensate field was conducted. The project on studying of gas content of senonsky deposits of Medvezhye field was realized by JSC Gazprom Dobycha Nadym since 2012. Now the project is in an active stage. For the beginning of 2017 construction of three wells is finished here, more than 1.8 thousand sq.km of seismic prospecting works 3D are executed, including with application of the high density and high-resolution technologies.
Last year 220 sq.km of seismic exploration 3D on the AVIS adaptive vibration technology were executed, one well is finished with construction, another (with the horizontal termination) — is begun with test with application of technology of multistage hydraulic fracturing of layer. Works on implementation of the feasibility study on development of a senonsky deposit of the Medvezhye gas-condensate field are also begun. In 2016 gas reserves of the senonsky deposits are for the first time entered in the state books of about 10 billion cubic meters.

Shelf of the island of Sakhalin

In 2016 exploration work on the Sakhalin shelf — on the Southern Kirinsky gas-condensate field and on perspective Southern Lunsky structure on the same Kirinsky license site proceeded.
Southern Kirinsky field was discovered by PAO Gazprom in 2010. In its limits prior to the beginning of 2017 eight search and prospecting wells, including two prospecting wells in 2015 are drilled. In April 2016 the State commission on stocks considered and approved by Rosnedra expeditious calculation of stocks of the Southern Kirinsky field, the gain of explored reserves on the category C1 made about 188 billion cubic meters of gas and more than 28 million tons of the condensate (extracted). Current reserves of hydrocarbons of the Southern Kirinsky field on the categories C1+C2 make over 711 billion cubic meters of natural gas, and also nearly 116 million tons of condensate and oil. The southern Kirinsky gas-condensate field is unique on stocks and now on the category C1 is reconnoitered more than 90% of its stocks. End of exploration work is planned in 2019.
On Southern Lunsky structure, by results of construction of exploration and appraisal well, last year industrial inflow of natural gas and gas condensate is received. The assessment of stocks of the Southern Lunsky field on the category C1 makes about 49 billion cubic meters of gas and 8 million tons of the condensate (extracted). Materials according to the estimates of Southern Lunsky’s stocks are considered and accepted by The State Commission of Stocks Rosnedra in March, 2017. The field is classified as large.

Arctic shelf

In the Arctic Gazprom carries out exploration work on 20 license sites. Last year they were conducted in the Kara and Barents seas. Field seismic exploration 3D and preparatory works to construction of wells were performed. In total on license sites of the Arctic shelf in 2016 seismic exploration passed 13.6 thousand square kilometers. Field works are conducted here on North Harasaveysky, Leningrad, Rusanovsky, Nyarmeysky, Skuratovsky and Beloostrovsky license sites in the Kara Sea, as well as on Medvezhye, Demidovsky and Ice — in Barents. Preparatory work to construction of wells is carried out on Antipayutinsky, Kruzenshternsky, Leningrad and Nyarmeysky license sites in the Kara Sea.

Foreign expansion

Due to the deterioration in recent years of an economic situation in the world in the oil and gas market the tendency of reduction of investments by the international companies, especially in the works connected with search and investigation of hydrocarbons is observed. The Gazprom group follows foreign projects of policy of the weighed investment activity with preservation of possibility of an intensification of activity in medium-term prospect taking into account the international risks. Thus all obligations under contracts which are earlier accepted by Group are fulfilled in full and in time.
The most part of the projects realized by Gazprom provides performance of a full cycle of development of fields from search and investigation before production and realization of hydrocarbons. In 2016 search and prospecting works in Algeria, Bolivia, Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan, and also in the North Sea were conducted. During exploration work four wells were finished with construction. Following the results of works in 2016 the gain of explored reserves in Algeria — about 5 million tons of oil was received.
In Vietnam on one of perspective objects of the block No. 112 electro prospecting works were performed and interpretation of the obtained data is begun. On blocks No. 129-132 of the shelf of Vietnam processing of results of construction of two deep-water wells for the first time drilled by Gazprom Group with depths of sea over 1.5 km with use of advanced technologies and the boring vessel of the sixth generation in 2015-2016 was carried out. As a result of drilling of one of wells the gas Than Bien field is discovered.
In Algeria in June, 2016 exploration work period on El Assel site is completed. Here during exploration work of Gazprom International in partnership with the Algerian state oil and gas corporation Sonatrach nine search and prospecting wells are drilled, large volume of seismic prospecting works is executed, four fields of hydrocarbons are open and delineated, plans of their development are prepared.
In Bolivia in the territory of the license Azero block according to terms of the contract reprocessing of all geophysical data is finished, magneto telluric shooting 3D and gravimetric shooting are executed. The ecological license for placement of a platform under drilling of a well within structure Northern Inkauasi (Incahuasi Norte) is obtained and preparation of documentation on construction of a well is begun.
In Kyrgyz Republic in 2016 on license squares of PAO Gazprom (Kugart and East Mailisu-IV) the complex of geophysical works (gravity measurements and seismic prospecting works) is in full executed and also processing and interpretation of the obtained data are carried out.
In the water area of the North Sea the Gazprom Group participates in implementation of the Winchelsea project which is in exploration work stage. According to license obligations in 2016 the first search well was drilled. By results of a test of a well the gas Winchelsea field is discovered. As a result of drilling of a well by the operator Wintershall Noordzee new geologic-geophysical data based on which geological model brought up to date, production profiles are obtained, indicators of efficiency of the project are counted.
Besides, studying of perspective sites in Bolivia and Argentina regarding expediency of participation of Gazprom Group in their development was carried out.

Strategy and policy

The key document in the field of development of mineral resources of Gazprom is the Program of development of MSB till 2040. This document is annually corrected and brought up to date.
Regions of Russia within which exploration work is carried out by the enterprises of Gazprom Group, remain former – key regions are Yakutia, the Irkutsk region, the Yamal Peninsula and Far East shelf. Thus in an active phase there are exploration work projects according to the licenses in the Kara and Barents seas received in 2013-2014.
Now the third stage of the Program providing expanded reproduction of mineral resources is realized. Thus actual are the questions of justification of necessary volume of the current explored reserves of hydrocarbons PAO Gazprom for implementation of plans for production and implementation of large oil and gas projects of the company in the conditions of complication of structure of reserves of hydrocarbons.
During implementation of the Program in structure of the current stocks there were considerable changes. In particular, the stocks of fields providing stable production in the area of the operating Uniform System of Gas Supply decreased. Also stocks of deposits with the falling production, deep-laying objects and deposits of the hydrocarbons remote from zones with the developed infrastructure increased. Investigation and development of such stocks are capital-intensive and demand application of innovative methods and technologies. Taking into account current situation on restriction of access to foreign technologies actual are questions of introduction of domestic development.
Strategy of development of production activity of PAO Gazprom abroad was approved in November, 2015. According to it the work on preparation of the program of development of production activity of the company outside Russia for 10 years is conducted. The purposes and tasks of this program are:
- Formation of PAO Gazprom as a leader among the global energy companies by means of formation of own resource base abroad;
- Diversification of production activity outside Russia;
- Formation of the integrated chains of creation of a value added from exploration work and production to the end user;
- Intensification of cooperation with strategic partners in the foreign markets and implementation of the joint projects directed on strengthening and development of new technologies and competences.
Realization of strategy and the program assume that the portfolio of projects has to be balanced in a number of parameters, including distribution over the countries and regions, a ratio of the projects which are at a stage of exploration work, production, etc.

Near-term plans

According to the approved programs of prospecting works in 2017 PAO Gazprom (without Gazprom Net) in the territory of Russia plans to drill 61.5 thousand meters of rocks, to finish with construction of 32 search and estimated and prospecting wells, to execute more than 12.7 sq.km of seismic prospecting works 3D.
The main volumes of exploration work will be concentrated in the Western and Eastern Siberia and on the shelf of the seas of the Russian Federation. It is planned to continue implementation of the key projects mentioned earlier.
The gain of explored reserves of hydrocarbons thus has to exceed 485 million tons of equivalent fuel, including about 470 billion cubic meters of gas and 40 million tons of liquid hydrocarbons. Most essential in size of gain are expected on the Kerensky perspective site on the shelf of Sakhalin and the Antipayutinsky field in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area.
As for the exploration work foreign projects of Gazprom that, considering that they have long-term character, in 2017 is planned to continue performance of license and contractual obligations for the existing projects, and also search of new perspective projects. Thus the emphasis will be placed on real economic projects by an exception of projects with potentially possible benefit.
On the shelf of the North Sea within completion of license obligations for the Winchelsea block drilling of the second prospecting well which has to confirm gas content of the new block in the current year is planned and further prospects define.
On the Azero block in Bolivia it is planned to finish processing and interpretation of data of magneto telluric shooting and to begin a preparatory work to construction of wells.
On the shelf of Vietnam on the block No. 112 the assessment of results of processing and interpretation of these electro prospecting works performed in 2016 for the purpose of preparation of offers for making decision on continuation of geological prospecting is carried out. On the Vietnamese blocks No. 129-132 complex interpretations of geologic-geophysical materials taking into account the received results of construction of wells comes to the end now. The operator Vietgazprom started scheduling of estimated works on Than Bien field.
On license sites in the Kyrgyz Republic, taking into account received the gravity measurements and seism prospecting data, updating of the exploration work program is carried out. By results of updating of the program of prospecting works the decision on construction of search wells will be made.
In addition, the Gazprom Group studies possibilities of expansion of cooperation with the strategic partners in Bolivia, Argentina, Vietnam, Tajikistan and Thailand, including in the field of carrying out exploration work in the territory of these countries.