LUKOIL brings on stream Yu Korchagin

Offshore staff

MOSCOW -- LUKOIL has produced first oil from its RUR 34.3 billion Yu. Korchagin field development in the Russian sector of the Caspian Sea.

The field, discovered in 2000, has estimated 3Р category reserves of over 270 MMboe. LUKOIL plans to drill a total of 30 wells, with maximum output of 2.5 MM metric tons of oil/yr (2.75 MM tons/yr) and 1 bcm of gas/yr.

Development infrastructure includes:
 An ice-resistant stationary platform (IRP-1), built at the Astakhansky Korable yard, which is equipped to drill wells to a sub-surface depth of 7,400 m (24,278 ft). IRP-1 was constructed at the Astrakhansky Korabel plant.
 An ice-resistant stationary accommodation platform (IRP-2) for up to 105 personnel, but which can also operate in autonomous mode for up to 15 days. This platform was built at LUKOIL-Kaliningradmorneft’s yard.
 A 58-km long, subsea pipeline with a diameter of 30-cm (11.8-in.) and a wall thickness of 1.6 cm (0.6-in.).
 A 28,000-mt dwt (30,864-t) floating storage unit stationed outside the Caspian ice zone, capable of carrying a crew of 25.

Oil is offloaded to shuttle tankers.

Currently the third well is being drilled to provide water injection to maintain the formation pressure. The first well was drilled for oil production and the second for extraction of associated gas that will provide an autonomous power supply to the facility.

According to Lukoil, the project features horizontal wells over 5 km (3.1 mi), which it says is unique in Russia. Due their regular radial location, the wells can be drilled simultaneously in all productive formations. The drilling process can be monitored remotely from the shore via a satellite channel in the on-line mode.

05/03/2010