OREANDA-NEWS. June 19, 2009.  The first oil has been extracted from a well at the oil deposit Geologicheskoye. Located at the border of the Rechitsa and Svetlogorsk regions, the Geologicheskoye was discovered last year.

At the end of 2008 a new oil deposit named as Geologicheskoye was found in the Gomel oblast. When exploring a productive strata 4,400-4,500 metres deep in the well Pribortovaya-1 an influx of high-gravity oil with the density of 0.78 grams per cubic centimetre and with the debit as high as 120 cubic metres daily was achieved. The Geologicheskoye is the first oil deposit where oil was found in a so-called catagenetic screened trap.

A pipeline has connected the oil deposit with the gas-metering installation of the Vostochno-Pervomayskaya area. From there hydrocarbon raw stock will be pumped to the oil treatment plant and then to Mozyr Oil Refinery. The Belarusian oil industry believes the event to be the starting point of commercial oil extraction of the new field.

Now several pioneer wells have to be drilled to correctly assess reserves of the new oil deposit. The drilling of the first one began in March. Another one will emerge in July. The total number may exceed ten.

The industrial association Belorusneft was set up in 1966. It is part of the Belarusian petrochemical concern Belneftekhim. The company performs oil exploration, well drilling, extraction of oil and associated gas. The association includes Belarusian Gas Processing Plant and the industry research institute BelNIPIneft.

In 2009 Belarus plans to extract 1.72 million tonnes of oil, 1.1% down on 2008.