The second tanker of oil produced at the Novoportovskoye field at the Yamal peninsula (in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District), was shipped to consumers in September, Gazprom Neft says in its press release. The batch of 27.2 thousand tonnes was shipped to north west Europe in the last delivery on the 17th September. The new type of oil, “Novy Port” is superior to Brent oil in quality as it has a lower sulphur content (roughly 0.1%). A third tanker is currently being prepared for shipment.
The oil from Novoportovskoye field was first exported by sea in August 2014. A 103km long oil pipeline connects the field to Cape Kamenny, where a large terminal for year-round oil deliveries will be built. The Novoportovskoye field currently has production capacity of 600ktpa, which will increase further.
The production facilities have been constructed to the highest international standards and are designed to have minimal impact on the environment and to ensure reliable performance in extreme weather conditions. In particular, the technology used for the construction of the pipeline was applied under similar temperatures. The pipeline is held above the ground by pillars, which keeps the layers of permafrost untouched. Special crossings and passages have also been built in deer migration areas. The pipeline is equipped with heating, continuous integrity and condition monitoring systems.
The recoverable reserves of C1 and C2 of the Novoportovskoye field hold over 250 million tonnes of oil and condensate, as well as more than 320 billion cubic metres of gas (including Paleozoic deposits). The field is located on the Yamal peninsula, distant from transport pipeline infrastructure. Gazprom Neft confirmed the possibility of transportation by sea in 2011 after the test voyage of a nuclear-powered icebreaker from the port of Sabetta (in the northeast of the Yamal peninsula) to Cape Kammeny – 400km further south.
The pilot oil production at Novoportovskoye field started at the end of 2012, and in the summer 2014 the oil field production drilling began. Nine wells are to be drilled by the end of the year. In 2014 the cumulative production of oil since the start of the year exceeded 100 million tonnes.