Gazprom Neft begins development of new oil stratum at its Novoportovskoye field
The Novoportovskoye field is one of the most significant oil and gas condensate fields in the Yamal Peninsula. It is located within the Arctic Circle, some distance from pipeline transportation infrastructure. Recoverable C1 and C2 reserves are estimated at more than 250 million tonnes of oil and condensate, as well as more than 320 billion cubic metres of gas inclusive of Paleozoic deposits. A pilot field development programme was completed at the Novoportovskoye field in 2014, with production drilling commencing thereafter.
Shipments by sea from Cape Kamenny have been identified as the optimum solution for the transportation of oil. The first opportunity for despatching oil by sea during the winter season was confirmed by Gazprom Neft as early as 2011, following a pilot voyage by an icebreaker from the port of Sabetta (in the north—east of the Yamal peninsula) to Cape Kamenny.
Gazprom Neft began shipping Novoportovskoye oil through the Arctic Gates transhipment terminal on 25 May 2016, with the instruction to commence operation of the terminal being given by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin himself. The characteristics of this new Yamal oil place it in the “light” category, with low sulphur content: at around 0.1 percent, this exceeds the quality not just of Urals blend, but also Brent crude.