Gazprom could raise Kirinskoye production target - source
MOSCOW. Sept 26 (Interfax) - Gazprom could revise its planned production at the Sakhalin offshore Kirinskoye field upwards, a source with knowledge of the project's implementation told Interfax.
"The current target of 4.2 billion cubic meters assumed reserves of 100 bcm, but reserves data have now risen to 136 bcm, and we'll revise production accordingly, the source said.
Gas production is due to start at the end of 2012. "At least that is the task we have been set," the source said. But commercial gas production might stat closer to 2014. "We need to begin in order to evaluate the system," he said.
Gas production will begin later at the Kirinskaya structure, where drilling data suggest reserves are up to 300 bcm; and at the Myginskaya structure, which is part of the Kirinsky block. Gas production at the Kirinsky block could run to 15 bcm-20 bcm.
The Sakhalin-3 project's East Odoptu and Ayash blocks are expected to go into production after 2020.
Gazprom planned to supply he Kirinskoye field's gas to the Russian Far East. In this connection, the company has said it would accelerate the launch of production there to 2012 instead of 2014. The Far East's gas needs will be covered by the government's share of the Sakhalin-2 production until then. A government decree says the government will take its share of the Sakhalin-2 project in gas until 2014.
But the source said the Far East's market would no be able to swallow more than 8 bcm of gas, so some Sakhalin-3 gas might be exported, for example to Japan and South Korea in the form of liquefied gas. It would make sense to liquefy the gas at a plant in Vladivostok, the source said.