Exploration

TNK-BP is currently conducting extensive exploration in its main operating regions. In West Siberia, exploration is ongoing on the fields of the Yamal Nenets and Khanty Mansiysk Autonomous Districts, the Tyumen, Novosibirsk and Tomsk Regions, and in the European part of Russia – in the Orenburg, Samara, Saratov, and Astrakhan Regions, in NAO and the Komi Republic.

In East Siberia, exploration activity is underway in the north of Krasnoyarsk Kray.

In the Khanty Mansiysk Autonomous District, the activity is now focused on exploration and appraisal of the satellite fields, i.e. small discoveries around the existing fields currently on production and with developed infrastructure.

The main exploration activity is focused on the territory of the Middle Ob (where the license holders are Samotlorneftegaz, TNK-Nizhnevartovsk, Nizhnevartovsk Refinery, Varyoganneftegaz and Yugraneft) and the Krasnoleninsk Dome (license holder TNK-Nyagan). 

In 2009, TNK-BP added 250 million barrels of unproved reserves due to exploration activity.

In the south of the Tyumen Region, TNK-BP is the only major company with a material resource base and ongoing production. Exploration licenses in this region are held by the following company subsidiaries: Tyumenneftegaz, TNK-Uvat, Radonezh Petroleum and Uvatneft. The Tyumen Region is a large area containing both undiscovered hydrocarbon resources (activities here include 2D and 3D seismic exploration and exploratory drilling) and discovered fields. Since the last years, the company has increased the scope of E&A which has enabled an expansion of the resource base and new oil & gas fields discovery.

License blocks in the Novosibirsk Region (located in the northern Novosibirsk Region) are currently underexplored. Novosibirskneftegaz is conducting 2D seismic exploration and drilling exploration wells to fully explore the territory. This will be followed by appraisal programs (3D seismic exploration and appraisal drilling).  

TNK-BP operations in European Russia are mainly concentrated in the Volga-Ural Area, where the remaining reserves are spread across numerous small fields. The licenses are held by the company subsidiaries Orenburgneft and Buguruslanneft. The activity is primarily focused on discovering satellite fields which could be promptly brought into development. 3D seismic exploration has recently become the main exploration method used in this region.

TNK-BP is carrying out seismic operations and exploration drilling on its license blocks in the Samara and the Saratov Regions, adjacent to the Orenburg Region, as well as in the Astrakhan Region.

In the Yamal Nenets Autonomous District exploration works and follow-up appraisal of the discovered fields are underway.

Currently, exploration and appraisal drilling is underway in the Vostochno Urengoy and Novy Urengoy fields to perform follow-up appraisal of the Neocomean and Achimov formations.

At Russkoye field as well as at the fields of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, namely Suzun and Tagul, TNK-BP conducts 2D and 3D seismic operations, together with exploration and appraisal drilling to further appraise the discovered fields and to discover satellites. Besides, test production has already begun on the wells.

© 2010 TNK-BP
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