Page 15 - FSUOGM Week 03 2021

FSUOGM PROJECTS & COMPANIES FSUOGM

Naftogaz starts tight gas flow

in eastern Ukraine

UKRAINE UKRAINE’S state-owned Naftogaz has started as soon as possible, as we promised,” the CEO
producing from tight gas reservoirs at the Svi- explained.
The area was previously atohirske field in the country’s east, its CEO The company did not have to build infra-
explored by Shell. Andriy Kobolev wrote on his Facebook page on structure from scratch, as there were already
January 14. existing facilities at the field, he said.
The national gas producer reached a deal in Shell signed a production-sharing agreement
December to acquire a shale gas block strad- (PSA) to develop Yuzivska in 2013, but withdrew
dling the border between Ukraine’s eastern two years later after poor drilling results. Eastern
Donetsk and Kharkov regions, previously Ukraine was also in the grip of intense fighting
explored by Royal Dutch Shell. The company between government forces and Russia-backed
bought Nadra Yuzivska, a subsidiary of state rebels at the time, prompting many foreign
exploration firm Nadra Ukrainy that has rights investors to pull out of the country. The conflict
to the Yuzivska block. Sviatohirske is situated continues but is less fierce.
within the area. Ukraine is hoping to become self-sufficient
Naftogaz began supplying gas from Sviatohir- in gas by expanding development of both its
ske after launching a gas treatment unit and a conventional and unconventional reserves.
26-km pipeline, and reconnecting three wells, Authorities have awarded dozens of new subsoil
Kobolev said. licences in recent years, mostly to Naftogaz. The
“The launch of the Sviatohirske deposit is a state company is also set to secure rights to off-
good start to begin developing the Yuzivska area shore acreage. ™

Gazprom, Wintershall launch

new Achimov project

RUSSIA RUSSIA’S Gazprom and Germany’s Wintershall Gazprom holds 75% interests in blocks 4A
Dea have kicked off production at a new section and 5A, while Wintershall Dea has 25% stakes.
Gazprom had wanted to of the deep Achimov layers of Western Siberia’s The Russian company had wanted to bring on
bring on board OMV as Urengoiskoye gas field, according to the Russian board Austria’s OMV as an investor at the pro-
a partner. company’s latest Eurobond prospectus. jects, but the pair have repeatedly delayed final-
In the prospectus, Gazprom said it had ising a deal.
brought on stream the 4A Achimov block and In late 2016 OMV agreed to transfer to Gaz-
would launch extraction at block 5A in the first prom a 38.5% interest in its Norwegian upstream
quarter of 2021. Combined, the two blocks are business in exchange for the Achimov interests,
expected to yield 15.5bn cubic metres (bcm) per but the move was blocked by Oslo regulators.
day of gas in 2027-2030. The companies then drew up a sales agreement
The Urengoi field is one of the world’s largest, for the Russian assets instead, agreeing a €905mn
holding almost 11tn cubic metres of gas. It was ($1bn) purchase price in 2019.
first put into production in the late 1970s, and Gazprom has divided the Achimov layer into
to date, development has focused largely on the five blocks, two of which are already flowing gas.
field’s Cenomanian and Valanginian reservoirs, The company is partnered with Wintershall at
situated at depths of between 1,100 and 3,200 Block 1A, which started production in 2011
metres. and reached a plateau rate of 10 bcm per year in
Gazprom wants to exploit more gas in late 2019. It works alone at 2A, which came on
its deeper Achimov resources, located some stream in 2009 and is anticipated to yield 8.4 bcm
4,000 metres below the surface. Because of the per year at peak capacity.
Achimov layer’s greater complexity, however, The final block 3A is undeveloped. Gazprom
the Russian firm has sought international has said before that combined, the five blocks
partners. could flow as much as 36.8 bcm per year of gas.™

Week 03 20•January•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P15