Page 19 - FSUOGM Week 37

FSUOGM PROJECTS & COMPANIES FSUOGM

Gazprom Neft expands key

Eastern Siberian oil licence

RUSSIA RUSSIA’S Gazprom Neft has expanded the bor- to reach this milestone in 2020, although pro-
ders of a key licence in Eastern Siberia, result- gress may have been held up by the coronavirus
The fields have complex ing in a 10% growth in estimated recoverable (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on the oil
structures, and this has reserves. market.
presented a hurdle to Ignyalinskoye is one of three fields operated The fields, while sizeable, have a complex
development. by Gazprom Neft near the border between the geological structure like many Eastern Siberian
Irkutsk and Yakutia regions, collectively known deposits. And this has presented a hurdle to
as the Chonsky project. Gazprom Neft acquired development. Gazprom Neft has held talks on
licences for the areas in 2008 and started pilot bringing on board foreign partners at the pro-
production at Ignyalinskoye in 2016. ject to secure technical support and financing,
Gazprom Neft has expanded the area covered but has never finalised any deals.
by the Ignyalinskoye licence by 2,200 square km, The deposits are only 100 km away from the
bringing its estimated recoverable reserves to Eastern Siberia – Pacific Ocean (EPSO) oil pipe-
76mn tonnes (557mn barrels). Total reserves line system, providing easy access to China and
for the Chonsky fields, which also include Asia-Pacific markets.
Vakunayskoye and Timpuchinkanskoye, stand Gazprom Neft has reported progress at a
at 222mn tonnes (1.63bn barrels). number of key projects in recent months. In late
Gazprom Neft has drilled some 19 prospect- August it announced it had begun the next stage
ing and appraisal wells at the Chonsky fields in of development at the Novoportovskoye oilfield
three years, and has also undertaken a 3D seis- in the Russia Arctic, commissioning a first well.
mic survey measuring more than 3,000 square At the start of September it also launched oil pro-
km in size. Pilot production at additional Chon- duction at two remote gas fields in Western Sibe-
sky deposits is anticipated to start “in the near ria, Pestsovoye and En-Yakhinskoye, operated by
future.” The company has said before it expects its parent company Gazprom. ™

Lukoil hires Lummus for petchem

plant in Nizhny Novgorod

RUSSIA RUSSIA’S Lukoil has awarded a contract to Lum- several other investments underway at the site
mus Technology of the US for technology for a as well.
The unit's grassroots petrochemicals plant in the Nizhny In its latest investor presentation earlier this
commissioning is Novgorod region. month, Lukoil said its new deep conversion,
expected in 2023. The unit will be built at Lukoil’s 17mn tonne delayed coking complex at the refinery was
per year (340,000 barrel per day) Kstovo refin- now 75% complete. The main long-lead items
ery. Lummus will license out its technology for have been installed, and work is now under-
a 500,000 tpy polypropylene unit, and deliver way to install onsite pipelines and technological
basic design engineering, training and services, equipment.
and catalyst supply. Besides a delayed coker, the 2.1mn tpy com-
Lummus was sold by US firm McDermott plex will feature a diesel hydrotreater, a gas
earlier this year to a joint venture between private fractionator, hydrogen and sulphur production
equity firms Haldia Petrochemicals and Rhone units, and infrastructure installations.
Capital for $2.7bn. The company did not say how Once the complex is online, the refinery will
much its contract with Lukoil was worth, nor did reduce its fuel oil and increase refinery yields up
it disclose a timeframe for the project’s comple- to 95.5%. The yield of light petroleum products
tion. However, Lukoil estimated the project’s will rise from 64% to 76%. The plant will also
value at $1bn when it first announced the plan achieve higher synergy with fluidised catalytic
in July last year. Its commissioning is expected cracking units already in operation at the site.
in 2023, the Russian company said. Start-up is scheduled for 2021.
Lukoil also intends to build a new bitu- Separately, a grassroots deasphaltising unit
men production unit in Kstovo, Kommersant at Lukoil’s 14.8mn tpy (297,000 bpd) Volgograd
reported on September 9. The company has refinery has reached 82% completion. ™

Week 37 16•September•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P19