Offshore Industry News

Gazprom Neft More than Doubles Oil Output on Russian Arctic Shelf

Gazprom Neft has met annual production targets at its Prirazlomnaya offshore platform (the first such project on the Russian Arctic Shelf), with a total 2,154,000 tones of “ARCO” (Arctic Oil) being produced at the Prirazlomnoye field in 2016 — an over 2.5-fold increase on 2015 volumes, which saw 800,000 tons of oil dispatched to customers in Northwest Europe.

Oil production at the Prirazlomnoye field commenced in December 2013, with the first consignment of the new Arctic oil dispatched in April 2014 — the instruction to commence loading being given by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. Oil transportation from the field is being handled by two shuttle tankers — the Mikhail Ulyanov and the Kirill Lavrov. Safety is foremost in all operations, with loading commencing only once 30 separate safety requirements are all complied with. The offloading line for the pumping of oil to tankers is equipped with an emergency shut-down system, allowing offloading to be terminated instantaneously.

Oil produced at the Prirazlomnoye field is characterized by its high density (at approximately 906 kilograms per cubic meter), high sulphur content, low carbon residue, and the high volume of fractions that can used in lubricant production. Unique chemicals used in road construction, tire production, and in the aerospace and pharmaceutical industries can be produced from ARCO oil.

Initially discovered in 1989, the Prirazlomnoye oilfield is located in the Pechora Sea, 60 kilometers from the shore. Recoverable reserves are in the order of 70 million tones.

The “Prirazlomnaya” ice-resistant offshore rig was designed specifically for development of this field, and is designed for use in the most extreme environmental and climatic conditions, as well as meeting the most stringent safety requirements and withstanding maximum ice loads. All wells at the Prirazlomnoye field are located within the platform, the base of which then acts as a buffer between the well and the open sea — which can reach depths of up to 20 meters around the field. In addition to which, all wells are specially equipped to prevent the possibility of any uncontrolled emission of oil or gas. Oil storage at the platform involves “wet sump” methodology, preventing the ingress of oxygen into storage tanks, preventing the ingress of oxygen and the creation of potentially explosive conditions.

The offloading line for the pumping of oil to tankers is equipped with an emergency shut-down system, which is activated instantaneously. Emergency icebreaking vessels will be on permanent emergency standby around the platform, equipped with the latest oil-spill recovery equipment. A “zero-emissions” system is in operation at the Prirazlomnaya rig, with drilling fluid, bit cuttings (“drilling sludge”) and other production waste all pumped into a special re-injection well.

Our Partners

Frontiers in Marine Science
UNESCO
Image

ECO Magazine is a marine science trade publication committed to bringing scientists and professionals the latest ground-breaking research, industry news, and job opportunities from around the world.

Corporate

8502 SW Kansas Ave
Stuart, FL 34997

info@tscpublishing.com

Newsletter Signup

The ECO Newsletter is a weekly email featuring the Top 10 stories of the past seven days, providing readers with a convenient way to stay abreast on the latest ocean science and industry news.