OREANDA-NEWS. May 16, 2008. TNK-BP and NK Rosneft are investigating the possibility of their joint work in fields of the Bolshekhetsky depression, Sergey Brezitsky, Executive Vice President, Upstream, TNK-BP, said to journalists, reported the press-centre of TNK-BP.

He explained that, several weeks ago, TNK-BP and Rosneft created a joint working group for considering different versions of possible cooperation of the companies in fields of the Bolshekhetsky depression.

“We have a positive dynamics of cooperation with Rosneft in this matter. The joint group will work out ways for development of this region. I think that we have reached a good level of communication with Rosneft and will be able to overcome all issues,” said he.

The Vice President stressed that the joint group is working on joint construction of infrastructure, transportation, etc.

Mr. Brezitsky emphasized that TNK-BP welcomes the idea of possible cooperation with other oil companies in the Bolshekhetsky depression, in particular, with Lukoil.

In 2006, TNK-BP purchased 8 licenses for development of fields in the Krasnoyarsk Krai in the Bolshekhetsky depression. Considering transportation of oil from these fields, TNK-BP decided that the most acceptable version implies construction of an almost 70-kilometer-long pipeline from its Suzunskoe field to the Vankor oil field. At the same time, Sergey Kudryashov, First Vice President of Rosneft, said in May 2007 that the company is not negotiating on joint use of the infrastructure in the Vakor block.

“We are developing our own Vankor project, and all the above-ground infrastructure has been created for developing the Vankor field. Apart from that, we have approximately 15 license areas in this region. For example, we are drilling wells in the Zapadno-Lodochnoe field, where signs of oil have been detected. For this reason, the entire infrastructure will be used to the advantage of our Vankor project,” Mr. Kudryashov explained.