To satisfy a need for reserves replacement, large Russian vertically-integrated companies pay closer attention to unconventional hydrocarbon sources with hard-to-recover reserves, in particular, the Domanic sediments and the heavy oil accumulations in the Permian formations. Tatneft PJSC considers these reserves of strategic importance that are able to provide for oil production increase and diversification of the resource base on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan. For the last five years, the Domanic sediments add annually 8 million tons to incremental reserves. The Company’s experience of development of heavy oil accumulations in the Sheshminskian sand sequences has shown that exploration and development of unconventional resources call for out-of-the-box approaches and, as a consequence, huge investments. In accordance with the Science and Technology Development Strategy of the Russian Federation and the relevant Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation, Tatneft PJSC is involved in development of the comprehensive full innovation cycle R&D project for study and development of unconventional reserves in the DOMANIC and BITUM testing sites in Tatarstan. The comprehensive full innovation cycle R&D project is aimed at development of novel heavy oil exploration and reservoir engineering technologies. Considering the ever-decreasing chances of new large conventional hydrocarbon discoveries, the significance of the project is self-evident.
The paper discusses the prospects and the progress of the R&D project, and the importance of the governmental support for unconventional hydrocarbon reserves development projects.
References
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