The launch of this facility, as planned, will see production increase more than two-fold in comparison with 2014 production levels at Prirazlomnoye, which stood at 300,000 tonnes. The depth of the new well extends to more than 4,500 m, with drillingundertaken by Russia’s GAZPROM Burenie LLC.

 

Altogether, the project envisages 36 wells being brought into production, including 19 production wells, 16 re-injection wells, and one absorption well. The first production well at the field was launched on Dec. 19, 2013.

 

Production at the Prirazlomnaya platform is predicated on the principle of “zero emissions,” with the platform equipped with a system to prevent the discharge of anyproduction or drilling waste into the sea: wastes will, instead, be either directly re-injected into the strata, or will be transferred to shore for recycling.

 

All wells to be drilled at Prirazlomnaya will be located within the platform, the base of which then acts as a buffer between the well and the open sea. In addition to which, all of the wells are specially equipped to prevent the possibility of any uncontrolled emission of oil or gas and can, if necessary, be hermetically sealed within 10 seconds.

 

“Ensuring environmental safety and the uninterrupted operation of our technical installations is the single most important objective for Gazprom Neft in the fulfilment of our projects under the harsh climatic conditions of the Arctic,” Gazprom Neft’s Andrey Patrushev, Deputy CEO, Shelf Projects Development, said. “The two-fold growth in production at Prirazlomnaya field is a clear illustration of the effectiveness of the equipment and technologies in use.”