Lukoil sees no reason to ramp up launch of gas deposits in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, will launch modest volume
MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax) - Lukoil sees no reason to ramp up the launch of gas deposits in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District (YNAD) due to a surplus of gas in the country, launching modest volumes next year and looking for ways to improve its works, the company's Vice President for Exploration and Development Ilya Mandrik told journalists.
The Yuzhno-Messoyakhskoye and Khalmerpayutinskoye deposits have a substantial resource base. But in light of the current gas production volumes in Russia there is no great need for ramping up new development. New technological solutions which will make it possible to work much more effectively are more relevant," he said.
"We will proceed in two stages - implementation of pilot projects has been launched this year. Three wells have been drilled at one deposit and four at the other. We will launch the wells in 2020, with their potential at about 2 million cubic meters of gas daily. And on the basis of these works we will update the project documentation and talk about comprehensive involvement in the development of these two deposits. We will reach 2 million cubic meters next year (two deposits), and will launch the wells step by step. When this will happen is a question for our production service," Mandrik said.
Earlier, Lukoil chief Vagit Alekperov said that the company is confirming plans to launch the Yuzhno-Messoyakhskoye gas deposit in December 2019: "Yes. We believe that Yuzhno-Messoyakhskoye will launch in December and Khalmerpayutinskoye next year," he said. As reported, the maximum production volume at the Yuzhno- Messoyakhskoye deposit in Bolshekhetskaya Depression in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District (YNAD) will total 4.58 bcm of gas and 660,900 tonnes of condensate per year.
The Khalmerpayutinskoye field on the Gydan Peninsula, along with the Yuzhno-Messoyakhskoye, Nakhodkinskoye and Payakhinskoye fields are all part of the Bolshekhetskaya Depression, which is the foundation of Lukoil's gas production in Russia. Production is currently ongoing at the Nakhodkinskoye and Payakhinskoye deposits. In 2018, 9,3 bcm of gas and 1.6 million tonnes of oil were produced here.
Initially, Lukoil envisaged production of 35 bcm of gas in the YNAO, but then lowered the threshold down to 26 bcm of gas by 2024-2025. In the company's latest development strategy from 2018, Lukoil said that it is planning to boost gas production in Russia by 22%, even as it works on a number of other gas projects.