Gazprom continues successful implementation of the Program of development of gas industry mineral resources for the period till 2040.

Today the key directions of this program is preparation for involvement in development of Nadsenoman, and also Achimov, as well as Jurassic oil-and-gas complexes in a zone of Uniform system of gas supply of Russia, creation of the new centers of gas production in the east of the country and a gain of stocks due to development of hydrocarbon resources of the Russian shelf. Strategic target indicators of mineral resources base development of Gazprom Group are still the size of the general stocks of the category ABC1 not less than 29 trillion CBM of natural gas and coefficient of completion of stocks not less than 100%.
In 2018 for the purpose of search and investigation in the territory of Russia of deposits of hydrocarbons, and also structures for the underground storage of gas Gazprom executed 7.5 thousand square kilometers of seismic works 3D, 32 search and estimated and prospecting wells are finished with construction, the volume of drilling made 53 thousand meters.

Results of prospecting works in 2018

Regions, within which the enterprises of Gazprom Group carried out prospecting works, remained the same. Key regions are Yakutia, the Irkutsk region, Nadym-Pur-Tazov region and the Yamal Peninsula, as well as Far East shelf. In an active phase of realization there were prospecting works projects according to the licenses obtained in 2013-2014 in the Kara Sea.
As a result of prospecting works in 2018 seven new deposits on earlier opened fields are revealed, including four on the Leningrad gas-condensate field in the Kara Sea, two — on the Yubileynoye oil-gas condensate field in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area and one — on the Rybalny oil field in the Tomsk region.
By results of prospecting works the gain of explored reserves in number of 796.6 billion cubic meters of gas and 21.8 million tons of liquid hydrocarbons is received. The coefficient of completion of reserves of gas made 1.6. The main increase is received on the Leningrad and Yubileynoye fields, and also on Yamburg gas field in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area and the Southern Kirinsky oil-gas condensate field on the shelf of the island of Sakhalin.
In 2018 geological exploration was carried out on 126 license sites in four perspective directions: oil-and-gas complexes of shelves of the seas, Achimov and Jurassic deposits, Nadsenoman gas complex and oil-and-gas complexes of Eastern Siberia.

Shelf

Gazprom is the key domestic company actively and successfully developing sea projects. Though as the largest subsoil user on the Russian shelf Rosneft acts. So, the total area of license sites of PAO Gazprom makes about 119 thousand sq.km, whereas a similar indicator of PAO Rosneft — about 1.3 million sq.km that exceeds the area of license sites of Gazprom Group almost by 11 times. However it is important to understand that if it is about implementation of shelf projects, not the quantity, but quality and efficiency becomes the main criterion. It is well know that prospecting works on the shelf are the extremely capital-intensive. Besides, today they are subject to sanctions risks.
According to the Program of development of mineral resources of PAO Gazprom for the period till 2040 geological exploration on the shelf of Russia will provide the main gain of reserves of hydrocarbons on prospect as to the company, and the country in general. Let’s remind that the geography of activity of Gazprom on the shelf of the Russian Federation covers the Karsky, the Barents, the Okhotsky and the Azov seas. The corporation possesses in total 32 sea licenses. Thus half of them are received enough recently, in 2013-2014. The main object for Gazprom on the near-term outlook is the cluster of the shelf of the Kara Sea, adjacent to the Yamal Peninsula (Nyarmeysky, Skuratovsky, Leningrad and Rusanovsky sites).
In 2018 Gazprom executed considerable volume of seismic works 2D and 3D on the shelf of the Kara Sea. In particular, shooting 2D closed all territory of the pool (6450 thousand running meters), 3D is the most part of perspective objects (20 475 thousand sq.km) which are ranged on priority and are united in three clusters. In 2015 were performed seismic works 3D on the Leningrad, Nyarmeysky, Beloostrovsky and Skuratovsky sites.
In the navigation season of 2018 two exploration and appraisal wells in the water area of the Kara Sea on Rusanovsky and Nyarmeysky license sites are also finished with construction. As a result of drilling two new gas fields are opened. Reports on estimates of stocks on which are planned to consideration in the State commission on stocks in 2019.
In 2018 in the State commission on stocks reports according to the estimates of stocks following the results of work in 2017 on the Leningrad gas-condensate field were approved — the gain by results of construction of one well exceeded 668.7 million tons of an oil equivalent. Also last year the gain of stocks field 118.9 million tons in oil equivalent is received on the Southern Kirinsky.
In 2019 prospecting works on the shelf of Russia will be continued. In particular, construction of two new wells on Skuratovsky and Leningrad license sites is supposed. In total in 2019-2022 on the shelf of the Kara Sea is planned to finish with construction seven wells, as well as to execute more than 10 thousand sq.km of seismic works 3D on Nyarmeysky, Skuratovsky, Amderminsky, Beloostrovsky and West Sharapovsky sites. The planned gain of stocks for 2019-2022 will exceed 2 trillion CBM of gas.
Also in 2018 on the shelf of the Barents Sea large-scale seismic exploration 3D of 12 450 sq.km was carried out. However construction of wells on sites in the Barents Sea is more remote prospect — the prospecting work projects on drilling after 2023 are prepared.

Achimov and Jurassic deposits

Extremely important direction of prospecting works of Gazprom Group which allows providing maintenance of the existing production level are the works on search and investigation of additional reserves of hydrocarbons in zone of Unified Gas Supply System The main projects are concentrated here on geological exploration deep-laying Achimov and the Jurassic deposits, and also the Nadsenoman deposits of the operating fields of Nadym-Pur-Tazov region of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area.
Traditionally gas enterprises carry out prospecting works on the perspective layers lying below the main operational object. For Nadym-Pur-Tazov region are the Achimov and Jurassic deposits located at a depth up to 4.5 thousand meters. The basis for geological studying and statement of deep drilling on these deposits is the considerable total size of an assessment of resources of this complex which, by expert estimates, makes up to 40 trillion CBM on gas and 27 billion tons of condensate and oil.
Efficiency of the Achimov-Jurassic complex is established on the majority of fields of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area in a zone of activity of the enterprises of JSC Gazprom Dobycha Urengoy, JSC Gazprom Dobycha Yamburg, JSC Gazprom Dobycha Nadym, JSC Gazprom Dobycha Noyabrsk, JSC Severneftegazprom, and also on license sites of PAO Gazprom on the Yamal Peninsula (Tambeysky group of fields). Now Achimov and Jurassic complexes are studied by deep drilling. Besides, from hardly removable deposits of an Achimov pack of the Urengoy oil-gas condensate field production of hydrocarbons is already conducted. So, in 2018 production of gas and condensate on the First operational site developed together with the German company Wintershall Holding GmbH made respectively 6.962 billion cubic meters and 2.977 million tons. On the Second site in which development JSC Gazprom Dobycha Urengoy is engaged, production made 3.23 billion cubic meters and 1.465 million tons. On both of these sites development drilling on Achimov thickness proceeds and at the same time the 4th and 5th sites of the Urengoy oil-gas condensate field also prepare for industrial development. Besides, the corresponding project works are kept on Komsomol and Yamburg oil-gas condensate fields.
On Tambeysky group of fields of PAO Gazprom geological exploration, including on the Jurassic oil-and-gas complex also proceeds. In 2017 for the purpose of studying of the Jurassic deposits the prospecting work projects on work on additional exploration of sites which realization is planned since 2020 are created here. In 2018 tests in wells on four license sites were carried out: West Tambeysky, North Tambeysky, Tasiysky and Malyginsky. Test in an operational column was carried out in eight wells, 56 objects were tested. Five wells are finished with construction. In 2019 seven search and estimated and prospecting wells on Tambeysky group of fields will be finished with construction and seismic works 3D will be continued on the Tasiysky license site.
In general in 2018 the Gazprom Group performed project works on increase of efficiency of drilling and also test the Achimov and the Jurassic deposits in the territory of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area, nine wells were finished with construction.
Traditional approaches to construction of wells are reconsidered within development of Achimov and Jurassic complexes by Gazprom. The new design decisions considering application of the advanced methods of the geophysical surveys of wells and geomechanical modeling are developed; construction of wells with a pilot trunk and the horizontal termination; performance of multistage hydraulic fracturing of layers; optimization of quantity of search and prospecting wells; shift of terms of construction of wells for the purpose of combination of stages of investigation, additional exploration, trial operation and input of fields in development, and also the subsequent commissioning of search and prospecting wells.

Nadsenoman gas complex

Prospecting works in Nadym-Pur-Tazov region on the operating fields traditionally were concentrated generally on additional exploration of deep-laying deposits of the Tyumen suite. However in recent years for effective development of mineral resources of Gazprom Group implementation of the prospecting works projects on a Nadsenoman gas complex was recognized as one of the priority directions also. The uniform operator on implementation of the corresponding projects is the specialized enterprise JSC Gazprom Geological Exploration. Preparation for development of stocks of the Nadsenoman deposits will allow using operating infrastructure, prolonging terms of operation of fields and, as a result, postponing the time of elimination of gas fields. Therefore so far works on additional exploration of Nadsenoman deposits which represent considerable interest, especially on fields with the falling production, entered an active phase.
In this regard in 2018 implementation of the Program of the accelerated preparation of reserves of hydrocarbons of a Nadsenoman complex in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area for maintenance of gas production in zone ESG is continued. Drilling, seismic and thematic operations on the Medvezye and Vyngapurovsky oil-gas condensate field are performed.
JSC Gazprom Dobycha Nadym since 2012 to the present carries out prospecting works within the Medvezye oil-gas condensate field directed on an assessment of prospects of a Nadsenoman gas complex to the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area to the period. On a field six exploration and appraisal wells are drilled. Four earlier constructed prospecting wells are reactivated and tested for efficiency. The corresponding seismic works as the 3D method are carried out. The executed prospecting works complex already now confirms efficiency of a Nadsenoman gas complex.
As the most successful it is possible to consider results of construction of a well No. 3C in which, after carrying out multistage hydraulic fracturing of layer in a horizontal trunk, inflow of gas with an average daily output of 83 thousand CBM per day was received, the maximum output reached values of 107.6 thousand cubic m/days. In lateral horizontal trunks of wells No. 5C and No. 6C the intensification of inflow of gas from Zenón’s deposits is executed by method of multistage hydraulic fracturing (NB1, NB2). As of the beginning of 2019 works on test of these wells are carried out. The general driving (taking into account drilling of pilot trunks) on two wells made 4711 m.
Considering results of prospecting works on the Medvezye oil-gas condensate field, the assessment of resources of a Nadsenoman complex on fields of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area is jury executed: Medvezye – 1.495 trillion CBM, Yamburg – 1.388 trillion CBM, Zapolyarnoye — 208 billion cubic meters, Vyngapurskoye – 205.5 billion cubic meters, Vyngayakhinskoye — 58 billion cubic meters, Komsomol – 187.2 billion cubic meters, Yuzhno-Russkoye — 338 billion cubic meters, Gubkinskoye and North Gubkinskoye – 291.5 billion cubic meters, Etypurovskoye – 160.1 billion cubic meters. In general the size of resources of a Nadsenoman complex on the specified fields is jury estimated of more than 4 trillion CBM of gas.
On the Vyngapurovsky oil-gas condensate field construction of an exploration and appraisal well on Nadsenoman gas complex in which performance of two prospecting works in a pilot trunk and three prospecting works in a lateral horizontal trunk is planned is begun. In 2018 in this well the pilot trunk is drilled, the face made 987 m.
In addition, now trial development of the Turonian gas deposit of the Yuzhno-Russkoye oil-gas condensate field which subsoil user is JSC Severneftegazprom — the PAO Gazprom Joint Company, the German Wintershall Holding GmbH and the Austrian OMV successfully proceeds. By the way, by results of prospecting works, carried out here on a Nadsenoman gas complex, The State Commission on Stocks is for the first time entered in the state books gas reserves on senonsky deposits of 9.9 billion cubic meters.
In 2018 from Turana Range more than 895 million cubic meters of gas were extracted. Preparation for industrial development of a deposit of the Yuzhno-Russkoye oil-gas condensate field on full development with commissioning of the first operational wells at the end of 2019 is at the same time conducted. According to design documents, the maximum annual gas production will make of the Turonian deposit in 2023 to 9 billion cubic meters. Thus profitability of the project on production of hardly removable reserves of gas from the Turonian deposit will be increased thanks to already existing land infrastructure of a Cenomanian gas field of the Yuzhno-Russkoye field. In the short term is also planned to begin trial development of the Turonian gas deposit of the Zapolyarnoye oil-gas condensate field.
According to the approved plans in 2019 it is planned to start construction of two exploration and appraisal wells on Nadsenoman deposits.

Eastern Siberia

Paramount problem of prospecting works within East program of Gazprom is additional exploration of Chayandinskoye oil and gas field in Yakutia and the Kovykta gas condensate field in the Irkutsk region.
In 2018 Gazprom continued works in Yakutia on additional exploration of an oil fringe of Chayandinskoye oil and gas field and also Tas-Yuryakhsky, Verkhnevilyuchansky, Sobolokh-Nedzhelinsky and Srednetyungsky fields. For the purpose of preparation for industrial development of stocks of the Kovykta gas condensate field (including Handinsky and Chikansky sites) four wells are finished with construction, various works on geological studying of subsoil are performed.
In Yakutia on all mentioned fields seismic works 3D so far are complete (more than 10 thousand sq.km). The program of prospecting drilling within the Verkhnevilyuchansky oil-gas condensate field proceeds. In 2018 in construction there were four prospecting wells two of which are finished with construction, the driving in 2018 made 5250 running meters. Updating of models of a geological structure and development of projects of additional exploration within Tas-Yuryakhsky and Verkhnevilyuchansky sites which realization is planned in 2019-2022 is carried out. On the Sobolokh-Nedzhelinsky site preparation for drilling of prospecting wells in the low-studied parts of a field is conducted. During 2019-2021 within license sites of PAO Gazprom in Yakutia it is planned to drill about 20 thousand meters of rocks, to finish with construction of 10 wells, to receive a gain of stocks in volume about 20 billion cubic meters of gas.
On Chayandinskoye oil and gas field in 2016 the prospecting stage is finished, the field is prepared for industrial development. Project and prospecting works on construction of wells for the purpose of additional exploration of an oil fringe of a field are begun. For specification of trade characteristics of operational objects, increases of coefficients of extraction are conducted works on degreasing and test of wells of old prospecting fund, specification of a geological structure and oil-and-gas content of productive deposits of a field on the basis of complex interpretation of results of explorative and development drilling and data of seismic exploration 3D. At the beginning of 2019 current taken stocks of Chayandinskoye oil and gas field on the sum of industrial categories made 1.2 trillion CBM of gas, 17.6 million tons of condensate and 44 million tons of oil, as well as 7.4 billion cubic meters of helium.
In the Irkutsk region Gazprom carries out works on Kovykta, Handinsky, Chikansky and Yuzhno-Ust-Kutskom license sites. At the beginning of 2019 current taken stocks of the Kovykta field taking into account insignificant part of unallotted fund for the sum of industrial categories made 2.7 trillion CBM of gas and 90.6 million tons of condensate and also 7.7 billion cubic meters of helium. Meanwhile here seismic works 3D are continued — on completion of implementation of the project the area of a covering will make 12 288 sq.km. In a complex with seismic exploration vulgar and profile electric exploration are conducted by method of probing by formation of a field in a near zone. Within implementation of the program of prospecting drilling in 2018 construction of four wells within the Handinsky site is completed, construction of two new prospecting wells is begun. The driving last year made 9263 rm. In total within implementation of the program of drilling 13 wells are constructed by a total driving of 42 166 rm.
In 2019 in the Irkutsk region Gazprom will concentrate on specification of geological model of the Kovykta oil condensate field, creation of geomechanics models, field and cameral electric prospecting works, and also construction of nine wells on Handinsky and Kovykta sites. During 2019-2021 it is planned to drill more than 40 thousand meters of rocks here, to finish with construction of 15 wells, to execute more than 1000 sq.km of seismic works 3D, to receive a gain of stocks of more than 300 billion cubic meters of gas.

Krasnoyarsk Krai

Besides Yakutia and Irkutsk region, today Krasnoyarsk Krai where, respectively, geological exploration also proceeds also treats a zone of keen interest of Gazprom Group in Eastern Siberia. Let’s remind that, according to the assessment of total resources of the region executed in 1993 and which passed state examination, geological resources of hydrocarbons of Krasnoyarsk Krai make 55.8 billion tons of equivalent fuel, including 25.8 trillion CBM of gas. Therefore during the period from 2000 to 2018 in the region the prospecting works extensive complex, including drilling of search and prospecting wells, field geophysical surveys is executed. Here it is finished with construction of 56 search and estimated and prospecting wells a total driving of 172.8 thousand meters.
As a result of prospecting works seven new fields of hydrocarbon raw materials are opened (Beryambinsky oil and gas field, Kamovsky NANOMETER, Ilbokichsky oil and gas field, Abakan hypermarket, East Imbinsky hypermarket, New and Yudukonsky oil and gas field and Salairsky oil and gas field). However the received gain of reserves of hydrocarbons made only 63.2 million tons of equivalent fuel, including 62.3 billion cubic meters of gas. Sites Tetersky and Beryambinsky in connection with low prospects of oil-and-gas content are handed over by Gazprom in unallotted fund. In Krasnoyarsk Krai volumes of drilling decreased from 30 thousand meters to 5-6 thousand meters a year.
The matter is that the current indicators of efficiency of prospecting works are a consequence of low degree of study of the territory of Krasnoyarsk Krai and very complex geological structure. Initial total resources of oil and gas in the region are reconnoitered only for 2.6%, condensate — for 1.8%. For comparison: extent of exploration of a subsoil of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area makes 49% on gas and 21% on condensate. Density of deep drilling in Krasnoyarsk Krai makes 1.14 meters on 1 sq.km whereas the similar indicator in Western Siberia is 30 times higher. In 2019-2021 within license sites of PAO Gazprom in Krasnoyarsk Krai it is planned to drill about 20 thousand meters of rocks, to finish with construction five wells, to execute about 300 sq.km of seismic prospecting works 3D and also to receive a gain of stocks of more than 20 billion cubic meters of gas. At the same time Krasnoyarsk Krai continues to remain one of the most interesting regions of Russia from the point of view of completion of reserves of hydrocarbons in more remote prospect.

Kamchatka

Gazprom planned carrying out prospecting works on the land and the shelf of the peninsula of Kamchatka for steady gas supply of consumers of Kamchatka Krai for a long-term outlook till 2025. At the moment here the complex project «from layer to the consumer» of local system of gas supply of Kamchatka Krai on the basis of group of small fields is realized. It includes design of prospecting and operational wells, objects of arrangement of fields, the main gas pipeline, gas pipeline branches and gas-distributing stations, gas distribution pipelines.
By results of the seismic works performed in 2016 3D in 2018 on Kshuksky, SevKolpakovsky, Nizhnekvakchiksky and Srednekunzhiksky gas condensate field the prospecting works projects were developed. On the Severo-Kolpakovsky site works on design of construction of a well are performed. Seismic exploration 3D on again received sites November-1, November-2 (northern), November-2 (southern) is started, in 2019 it will proceed. Also in March of the current year Gazprom obtained licenses for a right to use of a subsoil of new subsoil plots, perspective on hydrocarbons, — Annenskogo-1 and Annenskogo-2.

Methane of coal layers

Within the Program of development of nonconventional and hardly removable resources of gas in 2018 Gazprom continued implementation of the project on production of methane of coal layers in Kuzbass. As a result of trial operation of the Naryksko-Ostashkinsky CBM field 2.78 million cubic meters of gas are extracted.
Within a year preparation for construction of three systems of multidirectional prospecting wells was carried out here (six wells, including three multidirectional and three vertical). It becomes not only for the purpose of a gain of stocks of higher industrial categories but also for data acquisition about mining opportunities of wells of this type with the subsequent justification of investments into the project by results of test operation of these systems.
Today all necessary trade infrastructure for drilling is constructed. Project documentation on construction of the mentioned systems is approved, in which the best foreign practices of development of methane-coal fields are considered. It allows speaking about possibility of the subsequent replication of these technologies in the south of Kuzbass.

Plans for the current year

In 2019 Gazprom plans to continue prospecting works in the main perspective directions. In the territory of the Russian Federation on oil and gas, and also for the purpose of search of structures of underground gas storage it is planned to execute 310 running km of seismic works of 2D, 7631 sq.km — 3D to drill 79.5 thousand running meters of rocks, to finish with construction 24 search and estimated and prospecting wells, to receive a gain of stocks in number of 523.9 billion cubic meters of gas and 14.5 million tons of liquid hydrocarbons. The main gain of stocks is planned to receive on the shelf of the Kara Sea and on the Kovykta gas condensate field.