Sakhalin-3

Rosneft, together with China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), is involved in the exploration of the Veninsky licensed block of the Sakhalin-3 project. The 5,300 sq.-km block is located on Sakhalin shelf of the Sea of Okhotsk. Sea depth in this area ranges from 25 to 150 meters.

Project participation:

• Rosneft — 74.9%
• Sinopec — 25.1%

Exploration of the Veninsky block began in the 1960s, and in the mid-1990s, seismic surveying activities were started there. In April 2003, Rosneft obtained a prospecting and exploration license to this block.

The existing project plan envisages onshore drilling of 5,000-8,500 meter-deep exploration wells using cutting-edge drilling techniques similar to those employed at Sakhalin-1. Assuming successful exploration results, all wells at the Veninsky block will be drilled using horizontal and directional drilling from both onshore and offshore platforms.

In 2006, the first prospecting well was drilled, tested and liquidated at the South-Aiyashskaya structure of the Veninsky block. As a result, prospective oil and gas-bearing strata were revealed and tests confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons. Drilling was carried with the help of the Kantan-3 floating semi-submersible drilling rig owned by the Shanghai Offshore Drilling Company.

The second prospecting well, North-Veninskaya No.1, was drilled at the Veninsky block during 2008 and penetrated more than 10 gas saturated strata and inter-strata. Reserves at the field are to be counted in 2009. Engineering and geological preparations were made for drilling of another two prospecting wells in 2009.

Exploration activities at the Veninsky block of Sakhalin-3