OREANDA-NEWS. July 10, 2007. Vladimir Yakushev, governor of the Tyumen Region, is pleased with the way the Russian-British company TNK-BP is developing fields in the south of the Tyumen Region in the framework of the Uvat project. He expressed his satisfaction to Tyumen pressmen after visiting the fields of the Uvat project together with German Khan, Executive Vice President of TNK-BP.

“This was a traditional visit to the fields TNK-BP is developing. This time we visited the Urnenskoe and Ust-Tegusskoe fields, which were absolutely naked fields when were there last year. Today, we saw a modern construction site with good working conditions and new contemporary equipment,” said the governor.

“Development of the project is in full swing now, and serious work in underway. We are following the schedule and fulfilling all our commitments related to implementation of the project. We have no doubt that everything will go on well,” added he.

According to Mr. Yakushev, the company will drill 16 wells in the Urnenskoe field by the end of the year out of the scheduled 32 wells and install a second drilling rig in the Ust-Tegusskoe field. The volume of works scheduled for the next year, said the Governor, is even more impressive including construction of a pipeline and a large segment of road.

“The territory here is boggy, and the environmental conditions are harsh. Nevertheless, the company copes with them well,” stressed the governor.

German Khan pointed out that the company is expecting to increase the recoverable reserves of the Ust-Tegusskoe and Urnenskoe fields based on the results of geological exploration works conducted in these fields.

“Our prospects in the Uvat project are impressive and inspiring. Apart from development works, we are continuing geological exploration and further studies of these areas. Based on the results of these studies, we are expecting that the recoverable oil reserves of these fields will increase and reach 60–70 million tons,” emphasized the Executive Vice President of TNK-BP.

Mr. Khan added that the most advanced technologies are used for development of these fields. “Works are performed here according to the highest standards in the world practice in terms of equipment, technologies, and labor conditions,” explained he.

According to Mr. Khan, all works are performed in accordance with the schedule, and the main part of works and capital investments are scheduled for 2008–2009.

As reported earlier, the oil production of TNK-BP in the fields of the Uvat project may reach 10 million tons a year beginning from 2019 when these fields are fully developed.

The recoverable reserves of the Uvat project fields are estimated at 200–250 million tons, of which 67 million tons are in the Urnenskoe and Ust-Tegusskoe fields. Approximately 1.5 million tons of oil will be produced in these two fields a year. Construction and drilling works were started here in 2006, and full-scale development of these fields is scheduled for 2009. In winter 2007–2008, drilling works will be started in yet another field of the Uvat project – the Tyamkinskoe field.

Currently, the Uvat project includes 16 license area, and its annual oil production amounts to 1.5 million tons. 168 exploration wells have been drilled in these areas so far, and 8 new fields were discovered here in 2006.