The Prirazlomnoye oilfield is located in the Pechora Sea, 60 kilometres from the shore. Recoverable reserves are in the order of 70 million tonnes. The Prirazlomnoye field is the first — and, thus far, the only — field on the Russian Arctic Shelf at which oil production is being undertaken, and the only project in the world in which Arctic production is being undertaken on a stationary platform.

Field development has required the construction of a unique ice-resistant platform, designed and constructed in Russia and intended for use in the most extreme climatic conditions as well as being able to withstand maximum ice-loads. The platform is anchored to the seabed, and the safety standards thereon far exceed any requirements likely to arise, in real terms.

With the platform walls some three metres thick, the drilling of wells within this will ensure full isolation from the surrounding environment. A “zero emissions” system has been integrated into the platform to prevent the discharge of any production or drilling waste into the sea.

Production — under pilot testing of the Prirazlomnaya platform — commenced in December 2013, with the first consignments of the new Russian “Arctic Oil (ARCO)” being despatched from the platform in April 2014.

Altogether, the project envisages 36 wells being brought into production, including 19 production wells, 16 service wells, and one absorption well. All wells at the Prirazlomnaya platform are being drilled by directional drilling, to a total extent of between 4,000 and 8,000 metres.

The project is being managed by Gazpromneft Shelf, with export of ARCO oil handled by Gazpromneft Trading GmbH — both of which are subsidiaries of Gazprom Neft.