Vietnam B.V., a subsidiary of Rosneft Group, has started drilling exploration well PLDD-1X at Block 06.1, located offshore Vietnam.
This is the first time that Rosneft is operating a drilling project in international waters.
The designed depth of the well will be around 1,380 metres, while the sea depth in the area is about 162 metres.
The expected recoverable reserves of natural gas in PLDD geological structure are estimated at 12.6 billion cubic metres and 0.6 million tonnes of gas condensate, which can be developed by subsea completion systems and tied-back to Rosneft’s Lan Tay platform in Block 6.1.
The drilling will be performed using the HAKURYU-5 drilling rig owned and operated by Japan Drilling Co., Ltd.
Following PLDD, the company will drill another exploration well in Block 05.3/11, also in the Nam Con Son basin. According to Rosneft, incorporating the two wells into the same programme will ensure synergy between the two projects and help reduce their implementation time, thus maximising the efficiency of exploration projects at the company’s Vietnamese assets.
Vietnam B.V. also plans to map Block 6.1 operatorship, using broadband 3D seismic technology, later this year to enhance on-going production recovery and explore potential prospects of deeper reserves.
Commenting on the start of drilling, chairman of the Rosneft Management Board Igor Sechin said “Rosneft has already demonstrated their competence in Russia with the successful drilling of the world's northernmost well in the Kara Sea, which resulted in the discovery of the Pobeda field. The company starts a similar project in international waters. I am sure that the experience gained in Vietnam will be utilised by the company not only in the southern seas, but in the planning and implementation of upstream projects in remote areas.”
“I would especially like to emphasise that this project is an example of advanced cooperation with the company's partners in the Asia-Pacific: PetroVietnam and India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. We appreciate not only the current progress of joint projects in Vietnam, but also the future prospect for their development,” he added.
VIR