Ямал
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Yamal
The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is located in the Arctic zone in the north of the world's largest West Siberian Plain.
More than
50%
The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is located in the Arctic zone in the north of the world's largest West Siberian Plain. More than 50% of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle and covers the Yamal, Tazovsky and Gydansky peninsulas, the lower reaches of the Ob River with tributaries, the basins of the Nadym, Pur and Taz rivers, a group of islands in the Kara Sea (White, Shokalsky, Neupokoeva, Oleniy, etc.), as well as the eastern slopes of the Polar Urals.
Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2020, is not called the “energy storehouse of Russia” for nothing, because the largest hydrocarbon reserves in Russia are concentrated on its territory, the region is especially rich in gas fields. Today, 81% of domestic natural gas is produced annually in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area (this, by the way, is 1/5 of the global gas production), 6% of oil and 77% of gas condensate.
In terms of reserves and volumes of natural gas production, the Area takes the 1st place in the Russian Federation, and 2nd place by explored reserves of liquid hydrocarbons (oil and condensate) - after the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area. In total, 93 out of 234 fields are being developed in the Area.
However, for the entire period of gas production in the territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, only a tenth of the blue fuel was recovered from the subsoil. A similar situation is with some oil fields. Why, you ask? The fact is that extracting hydrocarbon treasures in full, given the harsh climatic conditions of the Yamal Peninsula, is, frankly, a difficult task, and a few decades ago it was considered almost impossible. In order to understand how long and difficult the “road” to “big salable oil” was in those years, you need to look at the history.
In the west, along the Ural ridge, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area borders with the Nenets Autonomous Area and the Komi Republic, in the south – with the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, and in the east – with the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
More than
50%
The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is located in the Arctic zone in the north of the world's largest West Siberian Plain. More than 50% of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle and covers the Yamal, Tazovsky and Gydansky peninsulas, the lower reaches of the Ob River with tributaries, the basins of the Nadym, Pur and Taz rivers, a group of islands in the Kara Sea (White, Shokalsky, Neupokoeva, Oleniy, etc.), as well as the eastern slopes of the Polar Urals.
Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2020, is not called the “energy storehouse of Russia” for nothing, because the largest hydrocarbon reserves in Russia are concentrated on its territory, the region is especially rich in gas fields. Today, 81% of domestic natural gas is produced annually in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area (this, by the way, is 1/5 of the global gas production), 6% of oil and 77% of gas condensate.
In terms of reserves and volumes of natural gas production, the Area takes the 1st place in the Russian Federation, and 2nd place by explored reserves of liquid hydrocarbons (oil and condensate) - after the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area. In total, 93 out of 234 fields are being developed in the Area.
However, for the entire period of gas production in the territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, only a tenth of the blue fuel was recovered from the subsoil. A similar situation is with some oil fields. Why, you ask? The fact is that extracting hydrocarbon treasures in full, given the harsh climatic conditions of the Yamal Peninsula, is, frankly, a difficult task, and a few decades ago it was considered almost impossible. In order to understand how long and difficult the “road” to “big salable oil” was in those years, you need to look at the history.
In the west, along the Ural ridge, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area borders with the Nenets Autonomous Area and the Komi Republic, in the south – with the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, and in the east – with the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
1958
In the summer of 1958, a momentous event occurred: the Yamal-Nenets integrated exploration expedition was established in Salekhard, an intensive search for hydrocarbon deposits began on the territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. The expedition team was given the task of studying the geological structure of the subsoil of the district and the search for various minerals on its territory.
The team of scientists carried out a very diverse set of exploration work, both by type and by industry. The implementation of these tasks was carried out by 20 exploration parties, but in 1958 three worked for oil and gas – Berezovo-Atlymskaya, Muzhevskaya, Tazovskaya – and one geological exploration – Obskaya.
I. Morozov was appointed the first chief of the expedition, and from 1959 to 1964. It was V. Bovanenko. In addition to them, experts who later became heads of large exploration trusts worked for the expedition: A. Kraev, V. Tsybenko, V. Podshibyakin.
1963
In 1963, the Taz and Polar-Ural expeditions were created, as well as the Yamalneftegazrazvedka trust. Not so much time has passed from the scientific assumptions of scientists to the first well on the Yamal soil, which produced industrial gas to the surface. The first gas fountain near Tazovsky dispelled the distrustful attitude to the polar subsoil by discovering the Tazovsky field in 1962. Since then, the “gas revolution” of Yamal began.
Half of the territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is beyond the Arctic Circle
The trust continued to study the geological structure of the northern part of the West Siberian Lowland and to determine the prospects of its oil and gas potential, to study the geological structure of the Polar Urals. Exploratory drilling was actively conducted at the Tazovskoye gas field, the search and exploration of mineral deposits in the Polar Urals were being carried out.
And then the victorious race of discoveries began:
on December 26, 1964, a powerful gas fountain was received at the Novoportovskoye field.
from 1964 to 1966 on the Yamal Peninsula, another 5 large deposits “spoke”, including Gubkinskoye (May 27, 1965) with reserves of 350 billion m3 of gas, Zapolyarnoye (October 20, 1965) with reserves of 3.5 trillion m3 of gas and the largest in the world – Urengoyskoye, with reserves of 16 trillion m³ of natural gas and 1.2 billion tons gas condensate.
These first four deposits were called the pearls of the Arctic. They became the strongholds in the oil and gas “offensive” on the Yamal.
1965
On February 11, V. Bovanenko, the manager of the Yamalo-Nenets Geological Prospecting Trust, signed a radiogram to the head of the Tyumen Geological Department, Y. Ervier:
Yamal oil: how it all began
(1950-1980s)
First of all, you need to understand that the Yamal Peninsula and the surrounding territories before the start of development were an uninhabited, inaccessible Arctic region with a large number of lakes and rivers, a harsh climate and an almost complete lack of transport, industrial and social infrastructure. In winter, the temperature here reaches −50 ° C, and in summer, another misfortune is mosquitoes, which are more like birds in size. That is why the creation of a unique fuel and energy complex in Western Siberia began not so long ago – in the 20th century, and before that the region was one of the “blank spots” on the geological map of the Soviet Union. Large-scale geophysical exploration and drilling began in the 1940s, and until the early 1960s all Soviet geology was aimed at assessing hydrocarbon deposits in a single West Siberian region.
The indigenous population of the area is
Nenets, Khanty, Komi, Selkups.
1964
On January 15, 1964, the Yamal-Nenets Integrated Exploration Expedition was reorganized into the Yamal-Nenets Exploration Trust (YNET). Two former independent expeditions were included in its composition: the Taz oil exploration expedition of deep drilling and the Polar-Ural geology exploration expedition. The same V. Bovanenko, a talented leader and expert in his field, took up the duties of managing the trust.
At 4:45 a.m. on well 101 of the Purpeyskaya area ... there was an outburst that passed into an open gas flowing. A fire started at 7.30. stop. The production derrick deformed and fell, forming a crater. stop. A lot of rock is thrown out along with the gas. No water (comma) no victims. stop.
Yamal oil: how it all began
(1950-1980s)
First of all, you need to understand that the Yamal Peninsula and the surrounding territories before the start of development were an uninhabited, inaccessible Arctic region with a large number of lakes and rivers, a harsh climate and an almost complete lack of transport, industrial and social infrastructure. In winter, the temperature here reaches −50 ° C, and in summer, another misfortune is mosquitoes, which are more like birds in size. That is why the creation of a unique fuel and energy complex in Western Siberia began not so long ago – in the 20th century, and before that the region was one of the “blank spots” on the geological map of the Soviet Union. Large-scale geophysical exploration and drilling began in the 1940s, and until the early 1960s all Soviet geology was aimed at assessing hydrocarbon deposits in a single West Siberian region.
The indigenous population of the area is
Nenets, Khanty, Komi, Selkups.
1958
In the summer of 1958, a momentous event occurred: the Yamal-Nenets integrated exploration expedition was established in Salekhard, an intensive search for hydrocarbon deposits began on the territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. The expedition team was given the task of studying the geological structure of the subsoil of the district and the search for various minerals on its territory.
The team of scientists carried out a very diverse set of exploration work, both by type and by industry. The implementation of these tasks was carried out by 20 exploration parties, but in 1958 three worked for oil and gas – Berezovo-Atlymskaya, Muzhevskaya, Tazovskaya – and one geological exploration – Obskaya.
I. Morozov was appointed the first chief of the expedition, and from 1959 to 1964. It was V. Bovanenko. In addition to them, experts who later became heads of large exploration trusts worked for the expedition: A. Kraev, V. Tsybenko, V. Podshibyakin.
1963
In 1963, the Taz and Polar-Ural expeditions were created, as well as the Yamalneftegazrazvedka trust. Not so much time has passed from the scientific assumptions of scientists to the first well on the Yamal soil, which produced industrial gas to the surface. The first gas fountain near Tazovsky dispelled the distrustful attitude to the polar subsoil by discovering the Tazovsky field in 1962. Since then, the “gas revolution” of Yamal began.
Half of the territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is beyond the Arctic Circle
1964
On January 15, 1964, the Yamal-Nenets Integrated Exploration Expedition was reorganized into the Yamal-Nenets Exploration Trust (YNET). Two former independent expeditions were included in its composition: the Taz oil exploration expedition of deep drilling and the Polar-Ural geology exploration expedition. The same V. Bovanenko, a talented leader and expert in his field, took up the duties of managing the trust.
The trust continued to study the geological structure of the northern part of the West Siberian Lowland and to determine the prospects of its oil and gas potential, to study the geological structure of the Polar Urals. Exploratory drilling was actively conducted at the Tazovskoye gas field, the search and exploration of mineral deposits in the Polar Urals were being carried out.
And then the victorious race of discoveries began:
on December 26, 1964, a powerful gas fountain was received at the Novoportovskoye field.
from 1964 to 1966 on the Yamal Peninsula, another 5 large deposits “spoke”, including Gubkinskoye (May 27, 1965) with reserves of 350 billion m3 of gas, Zapolyarnoye (October 20, 1965) with reserves of 3.5 trillion m3 of gas and the largest in the world – Urengoyskoye, with reserves of 16 trillion m³ of natural gas and 1.2 billion tons gas condensate.
These first four deposits were called the pearls of the Arctic. They became the strongholds in the oil and gas “offensive” on the Yamal.
1965
On February 11, V. Bovanenko, the manager of the Yamalo-Nenets Geological Prospecting Trust, signed a radiogram to the head of the Tyumen Geological Department, Y. Ervier:
At 4:45 a.m. on well 101 of the Purpeyskaya area ... there was an outburst that passed into an open gas flowing. A fire started at 7.30. stop. The production derrick deformed and fell, forming a crater. stop. A lot of rock is thrown out along with the gas. No water (comma) no victims. stop.
Drilling crews went north, to the center of the peninsula, to the coast of the Kara Sea. The Arctic, Neytinskoye, Rostovskoye, Kharasaveyskoye, Malyginskoye, Nadymskoye, Aivasedo-Purovskoye, Medvezhye, Vengo-Purovskoye, Yamburgskoye fields and one of the Yamal giants, Bovanenkovskoye, with reserves of about 5 trillion m3 of gas, appeared.
Yamal declared itself to be the richest reserves, the Paleozoic gas – a new horizon – was added to the Mesozoic.
For the discovery and exploration of the Yamal gas fields, the titles of Hero of Socialist Labor were awarded to N. Grigoriev, M. Kosenko, L. Rovnin and L. Tsibulin. Dozens of workers and specialists received orders and medals.
1967
In August 1967, in Gaz-Sale, the base village of the Taz oil exploration expedition, Yamal geologists received the State Commission for Reserves of the USSR Council of Ministers from Moscow. At this off-site meeting, materials on gas reserves in the amount of more than 1 trillion m3 of gas for only the Zapolyarnoye field were announced. The data of Yamal geologists shocked the Moscow commission, so much so that a decision to remove G. Bystrov, the chief geologist of the Taz and Urengoy expeditions, was immediately made, the reason being “for irresponsible statements”. But time has put everything in its place.
The first gas fields were created at the Bear Field. The names of small villages located near the fields and lost in the endless expanses of the tundra and taiga – Nadym, Novy Urengoy, Tarko-Sale, Noyabrsk – are known today all over the world. With the hands of the discoverers of the Yamal treasury with minerals, with their epoch-making discoveries, the socio-economic revolution of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area began, which in a record time turned the uninhabited Arctic region into an industrialized region.
It was in the 1960s that the party’s energy strategy was finally formed:
The Tyumen region became the main oil and gas producing region of the USSR, and Yamal became the main supplier of gas to the industrial regions of the Urals, Central Russia and Europe. By 1970, about 85 thousand meters of wells had already been drilled in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area.
Drilling crews went north, to the center of the peninsula, to the coast of the Kara Sea. The Arctic, Neytinskoye, Rostovskoye, Kharasaveyskoye, Malyginskoye, Nadymskoye, Aivasedo-Purovskoye, Medvezhye, Vengo-Purovskoye, Yamburgskoye fields and one of the Yamal giants, Bovanenkovskoye, with reserves of about 5 trillion m3 of gas, appeared.
Yamal declared itself to be the richest reserves, the Paleozoic gas – a new horizon – was added to the Mesozoic.
For the discovery and exploration of the Yamal gas fields, the titles of Hero of Socialist Labor were awarded to N. Grigoriev, M. Kosenko, L. Rovnin and L. Tsibulin. Dozens of workers and specialists received orders and medals.
1967
In August 1967, in Gaz-Sale, the base village of the Taz oil exploration expedition, Yamal geologists received the State Commission for Reserves of the USSR Council of Ministers from Moscow. At this off-site meeting, materials on gas reserves in the amount of more than 1 trillion m3 of gas for only the Zapolyarnoye field were announced. The data of Yamal geologists shocked the Moscow commission, so much so that a decision to remove G. Bystrov, the chief geologist of the Taz and Urengoy expeditions, was immediately made, the reason being “for irresponsible statements”. But time has put everything in its place.
The first gas fields were created at the Bear Field. The names of small villages located near the fields and lost in the endless expanses of the tundra and taiga – Nadym, Novy Urengoy, Tarko-Sale, Noyabrsk – are known today all over the world. With the hands of the discoverers of the Yamal treasury with minerals, with their epoch-making discoveries, the socio-economic revolution of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area began, which in a record time turned the uninhabited Arctic region into an industrialized region.
It was in the 1960s that the party’s energy strategy was finally formed:
The Tyumen region became the main oil and gas producing region of the USSR, and Yamal became the main supplier of gas to the industrial regions of the Urals, Central Russia and Europe. By 1970, about 85 thousand meters of wells had already been drilled in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area.
1969
In 1969, Giprospetsgaz, the design institute of the USSR gas industry, was tasked with developing the project of the country's northernmost gas pipeline at the time, the “Urengoy-Nadym”, and subsequently the “Nadym-Punga-Vuktyl-Ukhta-Torzhok” gas pipeline, as well as the second sub-option of the route – “Urengoy-Nadym-Salekhard-Ukhta-Torzhok”. Several expeditions began their labor shift in the Arctic at the “Urengoy-Nadym-Ukhta” section.
It is interesting to note that gas from the largest Urengoyskoye field, discovered in 1966, was initially used only to heat the nearby fishing village. The decision on the industrial use of the field and at the same time on the construction of the Urengoy-Nadym gas pipeline was made only in 1970. It was, at the time, the northernmost string of the “Northern Radiance” gas system, and in conjunction with the designed “Punga-Ukhta-Gryazovets” gas pipeline – the longest and most productive gas pipeline in the country.
1972
In 1972, gas from the unique Medvezhye field went to the Urals via the Nadym-Punga gas pipeline, and then – to the European part of the country. For the first time in the construction of gas pipelines, a pipe with a diameter of 1420 mm was applied at a working pressure of 75 atm.
At the same time, the prospects of oil and gas potential in deep horizons and new districts, such as Yamal, Bolshekhetsky, Gydansky, Yuzhny and Pur-Tazovsky, were assessed. Seismic scouts approached the White Island, went to the Kara Sea. We had to overcome new difficulties: when we began to drill deep and superdeep wells, we were faced with permafrost and abnormally high reservoir pressure. However, in the late 1970s exploratory drilling volumes at already known fields have increased significantly.
Ground structures and roads had to be placed on sandy embankments with a thickness of at least two meters, which required about 50 million m3 of good imported soil found by geologists in the city of Labytnangi.
The duration of the winter in the region is 9 months
average monthly temperature is
-32o
For instance, at the Novoportovskoye field in 1978−1985 80 wells have already been drilled in addition to the existing 29. The contours of the fields and the volume of reserves have been clarified. In total, gas reserves in the Yamal Peninsula were identified at two dozen fields, including Kruzenshternsky, Malo-Yamalsky, etc. Moreover, the Kruzenshternsky deposit turned out to be located already at the very edge of the Arctic Ocean. In order to master these riches of Yamal, it was necessary to deliver millions of tons of various cargoes, create a gas processing system in the fields for its long-distance transportation, and stretch several “lines” of gas trunk pipelines.
All the experience gained in the difficult conditions of the North was used to work on the “Urengoy-Nadym-Punga-Ukhta-Gryazovets” highway project. At that time it was the largest project in the entire gas industry that was to be implemented.
1969
In 1969, Giprospetsgaz, the design institute of the USSR gas industry, was tasked with developing the project of the country's northernmost gas pipeline at the time, the “Urengoy-Nadym”, and subsequently the “Nadym-Punga-Vuktyl-Ukhta-Torzhok” gas pipeline, as well as the second sub-option of the route – “Urengoy-Nadym-Salekhard-Ukhta-Torzhok”. Several expeditions began their labor shift in the Arctic at the “Urengoy-Nadym-Ukhta” section.
It is interesting to note that gas from the largest Urengoyskoye field, discovered in 1966, was initially used only to heat the nearby fishing village. The decision on the industrial use of the field and at the same time on the construction of the Urengoy-Nadym gas pipeline was made only in 1970. It was, at the time, the northernmost string of the “Northern Radiance” gas system, and in conjunction with the designed “Punga-Ukhta-Gryazovets” gas pipeline – the longest and most productive gas pipeline in the country.
1972
In 1972, gas from the unique Medvezhye field went to the Urals via the Nadym-Punga gas pipeline, and then – to the European part of the country. For the first time in the construction of gas pipelines, a pipe with a diameter of 1420 mm was applied at a working pressure of 75 atm.
At the same time, the prospects of oil and gas potential in deep horizons and new districts, such as Yamal, Bolshekhetsky, Gydansky, Yuzhny and Pur-Tazovsky, were assessed. Seismic scouts approached the White Island, went to the Kara Sea. We had to overcome new difficulties: when we began to drill deep and superdeep wells, we were faced with permafrost and abnormally high reservoir pressure. However, in the late 1970s exploratory drilling volumes at already known fields have increased significantly.
The duration of the winter in the region is 9 months
average monthly temperature is
-32o
For instance, at the Novoportovskoye field in 1978−1985 80 wells have already been drilled in addition to the existing 29. The contours of the fields and the volume of reserves have been clarified. In total, gas reserves in the Yamal Peninsula were identified at two dozen fields, including Kruzenshternsky, Malo-Yamalsky, etc. Moreover, the Kruzenshternsky deposit turned out to be located already at the very edge of the Arctic Ocean. In order to master these riches of Yamal, it was necessary to deliver millions of tons of various cargoes, create a gas processing system in the fields for its long-distance transportation, and stretch several “lines” of gas trunk pipelines.
All the experience gained in the difficult conditions of the North was used to work on the “Urengoy-Nadym-Punga-Ukhta-Gryazovets” highway project. At that time it was the largest project in the entire gas industry that was to be implemented.
Ground structures and roads had to be placed on sandy embankments with a thickness of at least two meters, which required about 50 million m3 of good imported soil found by geologists in the city of Labytnangi.
1975
In 1975, the Tyumen Main Gas Pipelines Department (TMGPD) was reorganized into the Tyumentransgaz gas production and transportation association, construction of compressor stations Nadym, Kazymskaya, Long-Yuganskaya, Sosvinskaya, Uralskaya, Sorumskaya was actively underway.
Science also did not stand still: many ideas were realized for the first time. For example, new compressor units were installed at compressor stations, which in the event of an accident could be replaced in just a day, and a waste heat boiler that supplied hot water for heating buildings. Thanks to this, there is no longer a need for permanent boiler houses.
At the head section “Urengoy-Nadym” most of the route passed under the conditions of permafrost soils. The experience of designing the “Nadym-Salekhard-Ukhta-Torzhok” gas pipeline, where pipes were laid above the ground, was decided not to be applied here anymore: the volume of construction and installation works and the costs were too high. However, a solution was found: it was decided to cool the gas to the temperature of permafrost soils.
It was estimated that more than 1300 marshes and almost 700 large and small rivers had to be overcome along the entire pipeline route.
This idea revolutionized the pipeline transportation of northern gas: now, on permafrost soils, it was possible to build gas pipelines in the traditional underground way and therefore there was no need to retrain builders, involve and develop new equipment, and use special expensive designs and pipes. As a result, the reliability of the gas pipeline was significantly increased, and construction speed was almost doubled!
1977
In 1977, from the west to the Kharasavey Cape, a transport sea line was laid, along which the main technological cargoes gradually began to be delivered to the Yamal Peninsula over the next 10 years.
1978
In 1978, the “Urengoy-Nadym” gas pipeline was launched. The gas pipeline from Urengoy to Gryazovets at that time became the largest gas main line through which the northern gas flowed to the center and northwest of the country. From year to year, the number of threads increased.
Through hardships to fundamental transformations
(1980–2000s)
In the early 1980s the explored gas reserves in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area exceeded 30 trillion m3 and amounted to 1/4 of all proven world reserves. In terms of proven oil reserves, Yamal came in second in Russia after the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area. At the same time, accelerated development of the Gazprom Transgaz Yugorsk gas transmission system began due to the construction of a new corridor of gas pipelines from the Urengoy and Yamburg fields.
1980
Already in May 1980 gas producers of Urengoy solemnly announced the production and supply of 50 billion cubic meters of gas to industrial facilities since the beginning of the development of the Urengoy field. The achieved milestone was dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people over fascism.
1983
In 1983, the construction of the first section of the “Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod” gas export pipeline was completed, and since 1984 Urengoy’s gas has begun to flow into Western Europe. Almost simultaneously, from 1982 to 1983, the compressor stations Pravokhettinskaya, Priozernaya, Sosnovskaya, Verkhnekazymskaya, Bobrovskaya, Oktyabrskaya, Purovskaya, Khasyreyskaya and others were built in the new corridor.
By the end of 1985, gas production in the USSR reached 643 billion m3! At the same time, Western Siberia accounted for 376 billion m3, of which 270 billion m3 came from the Urengoyskoye field alone! Already in 1984, the USSR came out on top in the world’s gas production, ahead of the United States.
The first gas trillion
1 000 000 000 000
from the Urengoy field was recorded in April 1986.
The maximum production volume occurred just at the end of the 1990s: 570 billion m3 of gas and 40 million tons of oil were produced annually in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. By 1989, about 1 million meters were drilled in the region! The number of discovered oil, gas and condensate fields was brought to 160, and almost the entire territory of the area was developed using geophysical work using various methods. The index for those times is simply fantastic, given the complexity of climatic conditions and the general uninhabited territories.
Thus, in just 20 years, in the harsh conditions of Western Siberia, a powerful West Siberian fuel and energy complex was created, including oil and gas enterprises.
The beginning of 1987 was marked by another significant event:
The “air bridge” was opened from Tyumen to the Yamal airport of Sabetta. This greatly facilitated the life of oil and gas workers, because the IL-76 heavy aircraft began to transfer heavy equipment by air to equip the rigs. By the way, in May of that year, specialists at Severgazprom began drilling a deposit at the Bovanenkovskoye gas and condensate field.
The historical maximum of oil production in Russia was reached in 1987 and amounted to 569.5 million tons. In the 1990s, production fell significantly: in 1996 it amounted to only 301.3 million tons, or 52.9% of the pre-crisis maximum.
1975
In 1975, the Tyumen Main Gas Pipelines Department (TMGPD) was reorganized into the Tyumentransgaz gas production and transportation association, construction of compressor stations Nadym, Kazymskaya, Long-Yuganskaya, Sosvinskaya, Uralskaya, Sorumskaya was actively underway.
Science also did not stand still: many ideas were realized for the first time. For example, new compressor units were installed at compressor stations, which in the event of an accident could be replaced in just a day, and a waste heat boiler that supplied hot water for heating buildings. Thanks to this, there is no longer a need for permanent boiler houses.
At the head section “Urengoy-Nadym” most of the route passed under the conditions of permafrost soils. The experience of designing the “Nadym-Salekhard-Ukhta-Torzhok” gas pipeline, where pipes were laid above the ground, was decided not to be applied here anymore: the volume of construction and installation works and the costs were too high. However, a solution was found: it was decided to cool the gas to the temperature of permafrost soils.
This idea revolutionized the pipeline transportation of northern gas: now, on permafrost soils, it was possible to build gas pipelines in the traditional underground way and therefore there was no need to retrain builders, involve and develop new equipment, and use special expensive designs and pipes. As a result, the reliability of the gas pipeline was significantly increased, and construction speed was almost doubled!
1977
In 1977, from the west to the Kharasavey Cape, a transport sea line was laid, along which the main technological cargoes gradually began to be delivered to the Yamal Peninsula over the next 10 years.
1978
In 1978, the “Urengoy-Nadym” gas pipeline was launched. The gas pipeline from Urengoy to Gryazovets at that time became the largest gas main line through which the northern gas flowed to the center and northwest of the country. From year to year, the number of threads increased.
It was estimated that more than 1300 marshes and almost 700 large and small rivers had to be overcome along the entire pipeline route.
Through hardships to fundamental transformations
(1980–2000s)
In the early 1980s the explored gas reserves in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area exceeded 30 trillion m3 and amounted to 1/4 of all proven world reserves. In terms of proven oil reserves, Yamal came in second in Russia after the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area. At the same time, accelerated development of the Gazprom Transgaz Yugorsk gas transmission system began due to the construction of a new corridor of gas pipelines from the Urengoy and Yamburg fields.
1980
Already in May 1980 gas producers of Urengoy solemnly announced the production and supply of 50 billion cubic meters of gas to industrial facilities since the beginning of the development of the Urengoy field. The achieved milestone was dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people over fascism.
1983
In 1983, the construction of the first section of the “Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod” gas export pipeline was completed, and since 1984 Urengoy’s gas has begun to flow into Western Europe. Almost simultaneously, from 1982 to 1983, the compressor stations Pravokhettinskaya, Priozernaya, Sosnovskaya, Verkhnekazymskaya, Bobrovskaya, Oktyabrskaya, Purovskaya, Khasyreyskaya and others were built in the new corridor.
By the end of 1985, gas production in the USSR reached 643 billion m3! At the same time, Western Siberia accounted for 376 billion m3, of which 270 billion m3 came from the Urengoyskoye field alone! Already in 1984, the USSR came out on top in the world’s gas production, ahead of the United States.
The first gas trillion
1 000 000 000 000
from the Urengoy field was recorded in April 1986.
The beginning of 1987 was marked by another significant event:
The “air bridge” was opened from Tyumen to the Yamal airport of Sabetta. This greatly facilitated the life of oil and gas workers, because the IL-76 heavy aircraft began to transfer heavy equipment by air to equip the rigs. By the way, in May of that year, specialists at Severgazprom began drilling a deposit at the Bovanenkovskoye gas and condensate field.
The maximum production volume occurred just at the end of the 1990s: 570 billion m3 of gas and 40 million tons of oil were produced annually in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. By 1989, about 1 million meters were drilled in the region! The number of discovered oil, gas and condensate fields was brought to 160, and almost the entire territory of the area was developed using geophysical work using various methods. The index for those times is simply fantastic, given the complexity of climatic conditions and the general uninhabited territories.
Thus, in just 20 years, in the harsh conditions of Western Siberia, a powerful West Siberian fuel and energy complex was created, including oil and gas enterprises.
The historical maximum of oil production in Russia was reached in 1987 and amounted to 569.5 million tons. In the 1990s, production fell significantly: in 1996 it amounted to only 301.3 million tons, or 52.9% of the pre-crisis maximum.
1983
In 1983, geologists discovered the gas layer of the West Messoyakhskoye field. In 1990, the Taz oil and gas exploration expedition discovered an oil deposit. The East Messoyakhskoye field was recognized as promising, but with the end of the USSR's collapse, the two most northern mainland deposits were temporarily forgotten.
In general, the end of the 1980s is regarded as the end of the “golden age” of Yamal oil and gas records, since in the early 1990s due to the collapse of the USSR and complete restructuring of the economic and political systems, a general decrease in oil production and gas demand, the pace of development of the industry significantly decreased.
As such, to compensate for the decrease in gas production in the Nadym-Purtazov region, it was decided to prepare the Yamal oil and gas region for industrial development. It was to become the main strategic reserve of gas production in Russia of the XXI century.
The Yamal oil and gas region is located in the north of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area and occupies the Yamal Peninsula with an area of 111 thousand km. 16 oil and gas bearing regions include Bovanenkovsky, Malyginsky, Tambeysky, Seeyahinsky, Nurminsko-Kharasaveysky, Novoportovsky, Baydaratsk-Yuribeysky, Kruzenshternsky, as well as the Kamennomyssky gas-bearing and gas-bearing South-Yamal (Schuchinskaya) zones.
Distance from Salekhard to Moscow is 2436 km.
At the same time, a feasibility study was developed for the construction of the “Novyi Port-Rostovtsevskoye-Bovanenkovo-Kharasavey” trunk pipeline and the “Tambey-Kharasavey” and “Bovanenkovo-Kharasavey” condensate pipelines with a total length of 850 km.
At the same time (slowly, but surely) the construction of gas pipelines continued (“Bovanenkovo-Baydaratskaya Bay-Ukhta”; “Ukhta-Gryazovets-Torzhok”, etc.), a railway line (“Karskaya – Bovanenkovo”), and to the “Bovanenkovo” Airport.
It must be understood that the general economic crisis, associated mainly with the decline in oil production, has less impact on the gas industry. In fact, in the 1990s Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, with its gas wealth, literally remained an island of stability amid a general economic collapse and only slightly reduced production due to a sharp decline in demand for natural gas. The main companies – Urengoygazprom, Yamburggazdobycha, Nadymgazprom, Surgutgazprom, etc. – continued to work actively and cope with the amassed difficulties.
The Bovanenkovskoye field was planned to be commissioned in 1991 with the initial production of 20 billion m³ of natural gas. In 1992, it was instead planned to produce 50 billion m³ of gas, and have annual production up to 200 billion m³ by the end of the 1990s, having also mastered the Kharasaveyskoye field. However, in March 1989, during the crisis, funding for industrial development projects in these fields was, unfortunately, suspended. Wells, equipment and buildings were mothballed. In the early 1990s the pace of drilling operations decreased by a factor of ten, although they never completely stopped.
Nevertheless, the prosperity of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area as the main gas producing region of Russia did not stop, although it did not continue as fast as before. As such, for a more cost-effective preparation for the development of the Bovanenkovskoye, Kharasaveyskoye and Novoportovskoye fields, and in the future – of deposits in the Arctic Ocean, the Yamal Gas Production Directorate was established in the August of 1991.
In 1990, world gas production amounted to 815 billion m3, of which 640.5 was coming from Russia.
815 billion m3
640,5 billion m3
In addition, the authorities turned their attention to the social development of the region. The fact is that by the mid-1990s comfortable housing and the necessary set of social facilities were available only in young oil and gas cities – Nadym, Novy Urengoy, Noyabrsk. But urban-type villages located near the deposits began to empty.
In the period of 1989-2002 population growth rates in cities that are located in the zone of direct field development – Noyabrsk and Novy Urengoy, have significantly decreased. The population of Nadym also decreased significantly. But the number of residents of Salekhard was growing steadily, since Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area received the status of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, the functions of the city expanded, and there was an influx of population. The changes that have occurred were, of course, caused by a reduction in the influx of migrants, outflow of the population and a decline in the birth rate due to economic difficulties. Therefore, it is logical that the district authorities took this problem under control, focusing on the social attractiveness of the region for permanent residence.
Getting a little ahead, it should be noted that a lot has been done in this direction: from 1998 to 2009 about 2 million m2 of the total housing area was built on the territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, about 200 educational, health and cultural facilities were commissioned.
Now the main efforts were aimed at improving the technical operation of existing industrial facilities and related infrastructure, overhaul and reconstruction of gas pipelines, compressor stations, infrastructure.
But industry rhetoric remained negative: oil production in Russia, reaching a maximum of 569 million tons in 1987, fell to 462 million tons in 1991 and continued to fall, reaching 303 million tons in 1998, while maintaining a tendency for further falling. Gas production decreased from 643 billion m3 in 1991 to 591 billion m3 in 1998.
In total, in 1991-1998 oil production in Russia decreased by 34%, oil refining – by 43%, coal production – by 34%, electricity production – by 23% and gas production – by 8%. The situation with oil exports also worsened, which declined between 1991 and 1998 by 21%. Over the same period Russia's share in the global economy fell by almost 10 times – from 6% in 1990 (the share of the USSR – about 9%) to 0.65% in 2000.
Oil production
34%
Oil refining
43%
Coal production
34%
Electricity production
23%
Gas production
8%
There were many reasons for such sad economic indicators.
First,
a long-term government policy that ignores the immediate needs of the fuel and energy complex and aims to maintain a high ruble exchange rate, which objectively contributed to the deterioration of the financial situation of energy resource exporters.
Secondly,
the sluggish reform of the economy of the oil and gas complex in the 1990s, which did not lead to any positive results. Thirdly, in those days the tendency toward deterioration in the structure of oil reserves intensified as a result of predominant development of large and most favorable fields for industry, and a failure to reach new promising areas. Only 30–40% of the need of oil enterprises was financed in the late 1990s. Oil turned exclusively into a source of foreign exchange savings, and the industry worked for wear and tear. Fundamental transformations were needed, and they were already approaching.
1983
In 1983, geologists discovered the gas layer of the West Messoyakhskoye field. In 1990, the Taz oil and gas exploration expedition discovered an oil deposit. The East Messoyakhskoye field was recognized as promising, but with the end of the USSR's collapse, the two most northern mainland deposits were temporarily forgotten.
In general, the end of the 1980s is regarded as the end of the “golden age” of Yamal oil and gas records, since in the early 1990s due to the collapse of the USSR and complete restructuring of the economic and political systems, a general decrease in oil production and gas demand, the pace of development of the industry significantly decreased.
As such, to compensate for the decrease in gas production in the Nadym-Purtazov region, it was decided to prepare the Yamal oil and gas region for industrial development. It was to become the main strategic reserve of gas production in Russia of the XXI century.
The Yamal oil and gas region is located in the north of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area and occupies the Yamal Peninsula with an area of 111 thousand km. 16 oil and gas bearing regions include Bovanenkovsky, Malyginsky, Tambeysky, Seeyahinsky, Nurminsko-Kharasaveysky, Novoportovsky, Baydaratsk-Yuribeysky, Kruzenshternsky, as well as the Kamennomyssky gas-bearing and gas-bearing South-Yamal (Schuchinskaya) zones.
The Bovanenkovskoye field was planned to be commissioned in 1991 with the initial production of 20 billion m³ of natural gas. In 1992, it was instead planned to produce 50 billion m³ of gas, and have annual production up to 200 billion m³ by the end of the 1990s, having also mastered the Kharasaveyskoye field. However, in March 1989, during the crisis, funding for industrial development projects in these fields was, unfortunately, suspended. Wells, equipment and buildings were mothballed. In the early 1990s the pace of drilling operations decreased by a factor of ten, although they never completely stopped.
Nevertheless, the prosperity of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area as the main gas producing region of Russia did not stop, although it did not continue as fast as before. As such, for a more cost-effective preparation for the development of the Bovanenkovskoye, Kharasaveyskoye and Novoportovskoye fields, and in the future – of deposits in the Arctic Ocean, the Yamal Gas Production Directorate was established in the August of 1991.
Distance from Salekhard to Moscow is 2436 km.
At the same time, a feasibility study was developed for the construction of the “Novyi Port-Rostovtsevskoye-Bovanenkovo-Kharasavey” trunk pipeline and the “Tambey-Kharasavey” and “Bovanenkovo-Kharasavey” condensate pipelines with a total length of 850 km.
At the same time (slowly, but surely) the construction of gas pipelines continued (“Bovanenkovo-Baydaratskaya Bay-Ukhta”; “Ukhta-Gryazovets-Torzhok”, etc.), a railway line (“Karskaya – Bovanenkovo”), and to the “Bovanenkovo” Airport.
It must be understood that the general economic crisis, associated mainly with the decline in oil production, has less impact on the gas industry. In fact, in the 1990s Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, with its gas wealth, literally remained an island of stability amid a general economic collapse and only slightly reduced production due to a sharp decline in demand for natural gas. The main companies – Urengoygazprom, Yamburggazdobycha, Nadymgazprom, Surgutgazprom, etc. – continued to work actively and cope with the amassed difficulties.
In 1990, world gas production amounted to 815 billion m3, of which 640.5 was coming from Russia.
815 billion m3
640,5 billion m3
Now the main efforts were aimed at improving the technical operation of existing industrial facilities and related infrastructure, overhaul and reconstruction of gas pipelines, compressor stations, infrastructure.
In addition, the authorities turned their attention to the social development of the region. The fact is that by the mid-1990s comfortable housing and the necessary set of social facilities were available only in young oil and gas cities – Nadym, Novy Urengoy, Noyabrsk. But urban-type villages located near the deposits began to empty.
In the period of 1989-2002 population growth rates in cities that are located in the zone of direct field development – Noyabrsk and Novy Urengoy, have significantly decreased. The population of Nadym also decreased significantly. But the number of residents of Salekhard was growing steadily, since Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area received the status of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, the functions of the city expanded, and there was an influx of population. The changes that have occurred were, of course, caused by a reduction in the influx of migrants, outflow of the population and a decline in the birth rate due to economic difficulties. Therefore, it is logical that the district authorities took this problem under control, focusing on the social attractiveness of the region for permanent residence.
Getting a little ahead, it should be noted that a lot has been done in this direction: from 1998 to 2009 about 2 million m2 of the total housing area was built on the territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, about 200 educational, health and cultural facilities were commissioned.
But industry rhetoric remained negative: oil production in Russia, reaching a maximum of 569 million tons in 1987, fell to 462 million tons in 1991 and continued to fall, reaching 303 million tons in 1998, while maintaining a tendency for further falling. Gas production decreased from 643 billion m3 in 1991 to 591 billion m3 in 1998.
In total, in 1991-1998 oil production in Russia decreased by 34%, oil refining – by 43%, coal production – by 34%, electricity production – by 23% and gas production – by 8%. The situation with oil exports also worsened, which declined between 1991 and 1998 by 21%. Over the same period Russia's share in the global economy fell by almost 10 times – from 6% in 1990 (the share of the USSR – about 9%) to 0.65% in 2000.
Oil production
34%
Oil refining
43%
Coal production
34%
Electricity production
23%
Gas production
8%
There were many reasons for such sad economic indicators.
First,
a long-term government policy that ignores the immediate needs of the fuel and energy complex and aims to maintain a high ruble exchange rate, which objectively contributed to the deterioration of the financial situation of energy resource exporters.
Secondly,
the sluggish reform of the economy of the oil and gas complex in the 1990s, which did not lead to any positive results. Thirdly, in those days the tendency toward deterioration in the structure of oil reserves intensified as a result of predominant development of large and most favorable fields for industry, and a failure to reach new promising areas. Only 30–40% of the need of oil enterprises was financed in the late 1990s. Oil turned exclusively into a source of foreign exchange savings, and the industry worked for wear and tear. Fundamental transformations were needed, and they were already approaching.
The time of new opportunities
(2000–2030s)
In the early 2000s a gradual improvement in the general socio-economic situation began in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area: industrial production and retail trade improved, investment increased, the total debt of enterprises decreased, inflation and unemployment fell. Real cash incomes of the population rose. There has been an increase in production of the fuel industry, the electric power industry, and the building materials industry. The area’s oil and gas complex traditionally accounted for 93.3% of industrial production.
Nevertheless, in 2000 gas production enterprises in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area experienced another decrease in production by 2.2%. The main reasons that hindered overcoming this tendency were insufficient investments, leading to an uncompensated withdrawal of production capacities and a reduction in reproduction, high depreciation of fixed assets and the development of deposits with easily recoverable reserves.
The geological exploration industry also showed positive changes: the volume of geological exploration work increased almost twice in 2000 compared to the level of 1998. The increase in hydrocarbon prices and the increased expenditures of mining companies to replenish the mineral resource base had a positive effect.
The most modern methods of intensifying oil and gas production at the time began to be actively applied, those being hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, which ensured a further increase in drilling volumes and, as a result, an increase in the main industry indicators.
It should be noted that the joy of the 2000s for the oil industry did not last long: already after 2005 there was a slowdown in production growth, and then in a number of fields, especially in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area and the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, its landslide decline. The gas industry again proved to be more stable, although demand for blue fuel continued to fluctuate both in the domestic market and in the external one.
2002
In 2002, Gazprom made the most important decision – to create a new gas production center in the Yamal Peninsula (the Yamal megaproject), because stocks of the traditional Nadym-Pur-Taz region were gradually depleted. It was decided to intensify the industrial development of Bovanenkovsky and other deposits. “Yamal” megaproject has no analogues in terms of complexity even today.
On December 3, 2008 Gazprom announced the start of field development and construction of the Bovanenkovo-Ukhta gas transmission system to transfer Yamal gas to the Unified Gas Supply System.
With the change in the economic course, for the most part, the extraction of hydrocarbon resources has passed into the hands of vertically integrated companies (VIOC). In the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, 19 enterprises were engaged in gas production in those years. The largest volume of gas produced fell on Gazprom subsidiaries. In 2000, they produced 482.7 billion m3 of gas (Yamburggazdobycha – 167.9 billion m3, Urengoygazprom – 192.2 billion m3, Noyabrsgazdobycha – 49 billion m3). Nadymgazprom managed to increase production by 13% (to 73.6 billion m3), which was associated with the commissioning of the Yamsoveyskoye field in 1997 for commercial production.
After the year 2000, thanks to completion of formation of new organizational and economic conditions for the industry, the increase in international prices, the massive introduction of technologies for intensifying oil and gas production, and with an increase in investment, a rapid increase in oil production finally began. Investment injections in the oil and gas industry in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area have also intensified, oil production has increased slightly, due to an increase in the number of wells commissioned and the volume of exploration and production drilling. Sibneft-Noyabrskneftegaz, Rosneft-Purneftegaz and other companies increase production volumes.
Production of oil and gas condensate in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area in 2000 amounted to
31,9
million tons
By the end of 2008, total production from the Urengoy field amounted to 6 trillion m3 of gas.
The time of new opportunities
(2000–2030s)
In the early 2000s a gradual improvement in the general socio-economic situation began in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area: industrial production and retail trade improved, investment increased, the total debt of enterprises decreased, inflation and unemployment fell. Real cash incomes of the population rose. There has been an increase in production of the fuel industry, the electric power industry, and the building materials industry. The area’s oil and gas complex traditionally accounted for 93.3% of industrial production.
Nevertheless, in 2000 gas production enterprises in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area experienced another decrease in production by 2.2%. The main reasons that hindered overcoming this tendency were insufficient investments, leading to an uncompensated withdrawal of production capacities and a reduction in reproduction, high depreciation of fixed assets and the development of deposits with easily recoverable reserves.
With the change in the economic course, for the most part, the extraction of hydrocarbon resources has passed into the hands of vertically integrated companies (VIOC). In the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, 19 enterprises were engaged in gas production in those years. The largest volume of gas produced fell on Gazprom subsidiaries. In 2000, they produced 482.7 billion m3 of gas (Yamburggazdobycha – 167.9 billion m3, Urengoygazprom – 192.2 billion m3, Noyabrsgazdobycha – 49 billion m3). Nadymgazprom managed to increase production by 13% (to 73.6 billion m3), which was associated with the commissioning of the Yamsoveyskoye field in 1997 for commercial production.
After the year 2000, thanks to completion of formation of new organizational and economic conditions for the industry, the increase in international prices, the massive introduction of technologies for intensifying oil and gas production, and with an increase in investment, a rapid increase in oil production finally began. Investment injections in the oil and gas industry in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area have also intensified, oil production has increased slightly, due to an increase in the number of wells commissioned and the volume of exploration and production drilling. Sibneft-Noyabrskneftegaz, Rosneft-Purneftegaz and other companies increase production volumes.
The geological exploration industry also showed positive changes: the volume of geological exploration work increased almost twice in 2000 compared to the level of 1998. The increase in hydrocarbon prices and the increased expenditures of mining companies to replenish the mineral resource base had a positive effect.
The most modern methods of intensifying oil and gas production at the time began to be actively applied, those being hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, which ensured a further increase in drilling volumes and, as a result, an increase in the main industry indicators.
It should be noted that the joy of the 2000s for the oil industry did not last long: already after 2005 there was a slowdown in production growth, and then in a number of fields, especially in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area and the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, its landslide decline. The gas industry again proved to be more stable, although demand for blue fuel continued to fluctuate both in the domestic market and in the external one.
Production of oil and gas condensate in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area in 2000 amounted to
31,9
million tons
2002
In 2002, Gazprom made the most important decision – to create a new gas production center in the Yamal Peninsula (the Yamal megaproject), because stocks of the traditional Nadym-Pur-Taz region were gradually depleted. It was decided to intensify the industrial development of Bovanenkovsky and other deposits. “Yamal” megaproject has no analogues in terms of complexity even today.
On December 3, 2008 Gazprom announced the start of field development and construction of the Bovanenkovo-Ukhta gas transmission system to transfer Yamal gas to the Unified Gas Supply System.
By the end of 2008, total production from the Urengoy field amounted to 6 trillion m3 of gas.
In 2009–2011 due to the start of implementation of new oil and gas production projects, including on Sakhalin, oil production in Russia increased slightly, while at the end of 2010 daily oil production increased for the first time in 20 years to 1.4 million tons. The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area remained the main supplier of natural gas in Russia. In 2009, the district's share amounted to about 92% of natural gas from gas produced in Russia as a whole.
2010
In 2010, the “Obskaya-Bovanenkovo-Kara” railway was completed. It is the northernmost of the existing railways in the world, it is through it that goods are delivered for the development of deposits in the Yamal Peninsula. It is noteworthy that one of its main parts – the bridge over the Yuribey River – consitutes a structure weighing almost 65 thousand tons, standing on 110 piers with a thickness of 3 m each. Each of these supports is “soldered” into frozen soil (70% of which consists of frozen water). This means, in theory, that such a soil does not tolerate any load at all, but the bridge stands and passes thousands of tons of cargo daily through itself. This is just one of the unique technologies developed specifically for Yamal.
In the same year, another large company, NOVATEK, launched a project to create a new Russian LNG center on the Yamal Peninsula based on the South Tambeyskoye field. This gave a powerful start to the development of the LNG industry in Russia.
In general, in 2011, hydrocarbon production in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area was carried out by 32 enterprises in 89 fields and amounted to 559.8 billion m3 of gas, 23.03 million tons of oil and 11.4 million tons of condensate.
By the way, Gazprom planned to receive the first gas from the Bovanenkovo field in the 3rd quarter of 2011, but this happened only a year later: on October 23, 2012, gas from Bovanenkovo went to the “Bovanenkovo-Ukhta” gas pipeline. A gas field with a capacity of 30 billion m3 of gas / year has begun its work.
In general, with the launch of Bovanenkovo, Russia really proved the main thing: that it is able to create technologies for the effective development of oil and gas fields in permafrost.
2012
In 2012, another significant event took place: Transneft began to build a 525-kilometer “Purpe-Zapolyarnoye” oil pipeline, with the help of which later an industrial development of oil fields in the Arctic zone of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area – Russky, Messoyakhinsky, Pyakyakhinsky, Tazovsky and Zapolyarny, as well as smaller areas along the route of the new pipeline will commence.
Thus, new systemically important oil and gas production centers began to form on the territory of Yamal, such as Bovanenkovsky, Tambeysky, Novoportovsky located on the Yamal Peninsula, as well as Messoyakhinsky in the north-east of the region and Kamennomyssky in the waters of the Gulf of Ob. The Yamal Peninsula re-confirmed itself as strategic oil and gas region of Russia.
oil pipeline
525 km
Today, three main gas producing clusters have been created on the Yamal Peninsula:
Bovanenkovo Industrial Zone
Possesses the main production potential and includes three deposits: Bovanenkovskoye, Kharasaveyskoye, Kruzenshternskoye. Gross production here is estimated at 217 billion m3 of gas and 4 million tons of gas condensate / year.
Tambey Industrial Zone
Consists of 6 fields: North Tambey, West Tambey, Tasy, Malyginsky, South Tambey and Syadorsky.
South Industrial Zone
Includes 9 deposits: Novoportovskoye, Nurminskoye, Malo-Yamalskoye, Rostovtsevskoye, Arctic, Sredne-Yamalskoye, Khambateyskoye, Neitinskoye, Kamennomysskoye. The zone is considered as a priority object for oil production with a maximum annual level of 7 million tons.
In 2009–2011 due to the start of implementation of new oil and gas production projects, including on Sakhalin, oil production in Russia increased slightly, while at the end of 2010 daily oil production increased for the first time in 20 years to 1.4 million tons. The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area remained the main supplier of natural gas in Russia. In 2009, the district's share amounted to about 92% of natural gas from gas produced in Russia as a whole.
2010
In 2010, the “Obskaya-Bovanenkovo-Kara” railway was completed. It is the northernmost of the existing railways in the world, it is through it that goods are delivered for the development of deposits in the Yamal Peninsula. It is noteworthy that one of its main parts – the bridge over the Yuribey River – consitutes a structure weighing almost 65 thousand tons, standing on 110 piers with a thickness of 3 m each. Each of these supports is “soldered” into frozen soil (70% of which consists of frozen water). This means, in theory, that such a soil does not tolerate any load at all, but the bridge stands and passes thousands of tons of cargo daily through itself. This is just one of the unique technologies developed specifically for Yamal.
In the same year, another large company, NOVATEK, launched a project to create a new Russian LNG center on the Yamal Peninsula based on the South Tambeyskoye field. This gave a powerful start to the development of the LNG industry in Russia.
In general, in 2011, hydrocarbon production in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area was carried out by 32 enterprises in 89 fields and amounted to 559.8 billion m3 of gas, 23.03 million tons of oil and 11.4 million tons of condensate.
By the way, Gazprom planned to receive the first gas from the Bovanenkovo field in the 3rd quarter of 2011, but this happened only a year later: on October 23, 2012, gas from Bovanenkovo went to the “Bovanenkovo-Ukhta” gas pipeline. A gas field with a capacity of 30 billion m3 of gas / year has begun its work.
In general, with the launch of Bovanenkovo, Russia really proved the main thing: that it is able to create technologies for the effective development of oil and gas fields in permafrost.
2012
In 2012, another significant event took place: Transneft began to build a 525-kilometer “Purpe-Zapolyarnoye” oil pipeline, with the help of which later an industrial development of oil fields in the Arctic zone of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area – Russky, Messoyakhinsky, Pyakyakhinsky, Tazovsky and Zapolyarny, as well as smaller areas along the route of the new pipeline will commence.
Thus, new systemically important oil and gas production centers began to form on the territory of Yamal, such as Bovanenkovsky, Tambeysky, Novoportovsky located on the Yamal Peninsula, as well as Messoyakhinsky in the north-east of the region and Kamennomyssky in the waters of the Gulf of Ob. The Yamal Peninsula re-confirmed itself as strategic oil and gas region of Russia.
oil pipeline
525 km
Today, three main gas producing clusters have been created on the Yamal Peninsula:
Bovanenkovo Industrial Zone
Possesses the main production potential and includes three deposits: Bovanenkovskoye, Kharasaveyskoye, Kruzenshternskoye. Gross production here is estimated at 217 billion m3 of gas and 4 million tons of gas condensate / year.
Tambey Industrial Zone
Consists of 6 fields: North Tambey, West Tambey, Tasy, Malyginsky, South Tambey and Syadorsky.
South Industrial Zone
Includes 9 deposits: Novoportovskoye, Nurminskoye, Malo-Yamalskoye, Rostovtsevskoye, Arctic, Sredne-Yamalskoye, Khambateyskoye, Neitinskoye, Kamennomysskoye. The zone is considered as a priority object for oil production with a maximum annual level of 7 million tons.
2016
In 2016, the Novoportovskoye oil field and the “Arctic Gates” offshore oil terminal, built in the area of Kamenny Cape were put into commercial operation. The terminal is designed for year-round shipment of oil to the tankers of the Novoportovskoye oil and gas condensate field. The thickness of the ice around it in winter can exceed 2 m (!). And this required the use of unique technical solutions that ensure its reliable operation in the Far North.
It was with the commencement of the industrial operation of “Arctic Gate” in 2016 that Gazpromneft-Yamal was able to ship Novy Port grade oil to consumers all year round. In the first year alone, almost 3 million tons were shipped through the terminal. By the way, in the same year, oil from the East Messoyakhskoye field entered the trunk pipeline system. Yamal has become a truly unique springboard for high-tech domestic solutions. And this is especially important in the light of the implementation of the import substitution policy by the Russian government.
Installation of the “Arctic Gate” terminal with a total height of over 80 m was carried out using one of the world's largest crane ships, “Oleg Strashnov”, with a carrying capacity of 5 thousand tons.
2019
In March 2019, the full-scale development of the Kharasaveyskoye field began. The priority development target here is the Cenomanian-Aptian deposits. The start of gas production is planned for 2023. According to experts, there will be enough gas there to extract it until 2131.
All efforts, both of companies and regional authorities, were not in vain: in recent years, thanks to the launch of the largest Yamal oil and gas projects listed above, stimulating economic policies and adapting to external political and economic factors, hydrocarbon production has been kept at a stable level and even increased.
Thus, the volume of gas production in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug for the first 9 months of 2019 increased by 5.6% to 446.7 billion m3 compared to the same period in 2018. Oil production increased by 9.9% to 26.4 million tons, and production of gas condensate by 22.9% to 17.7 million tons.
2017
A year later, in 2017, the Bovanenkovskoye field was supposed to reach the design level of production of 115 billion m3 of gas/year in 2017, but it did not work out. Maximum production remained at 90 billion m3 of gas/year due to two gas fields. On December 5, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in a video conference call at the commissioning ceremony of the third (final) gas field of the Bovanenkovo field. This year, Gazprom plans to commission 52 new gas wells at the Bovanenkovo gas field. And by 2022, gas production at the gas field should still reach 115 billion m3 of gas/year.
In the same 2017, the construction of the Sabetta seaport on the Kara Sea was completed. On March 28, the first “Christophe de Margerie” ice-class gas tanker filled with test volume of LNG first arrived there (this is the first of 15 gas tankers for the Yamal LNG project).
Christophe de Margerie
ice-class gas tanker
The main volume of gas production in the region is still provided by Gazprom subsidiary enterprises: 330.3 billion m3, or 73.9% of the total gas production in the okrug. The share of NOVATEK companies amounted to 17.1%, or 76.6 billion m3. The rest companies produced 9% (39.8 billion m3). In total, gas production was performed by 38 enterprises in 102 fields in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area.
Meanwhile, the oil was produced by 22 companies at 69 fields. The share of Gazprom Neft enterprises amounted to 60.6% of all production in the region (16 million tons), Rosneft - 16.2% (4.3 million tons), NOVATEK enterprises - 15.5% (4, 1 million tons). The rest companies produced 2 million tons (7.7%).
Finally, gas condensate production was performed by 24 enterprises in 40 fields. The main volume of production is accounted for by NOVATEK enterprises: 47.5% of the total production, or 8.4 million tons. Gazprom companies produced 40.1% (7.1 million tons) of gas condensate, the rest subsoil users - 12.4% (2,2 million tons).
Total recoverable reserves of all fields on the Yamal Peninsula (excluding the shelf):
17
trillion m3 of gas
336
million tons of oil
0.84
billion tons of gas condensate
Today, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is one of the ten most attractive regions of Russia for investors. The level of investment allocated for the construction of industrial facilities is the highest in the country. The volume of investments in investment projects in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area until 2025 exceeds $ 100 billion. More than 70% of investments directed to the Russian Arctic are in Yamal.
According to previously announced data, in 2020 gas production in the region may reach 135-175 billion m3, and oil production - 44 million tons. These figures may still vary, as development of fields continues. The volume of gas and oil reserves in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area can exceed even the most daring forecasts. After all, the development of deposits continues. In addition, mining companies annually actively revise the prospects of old deposits, since it is already becoming clear that with a competent approach to the exploitation of deposits, the development of even those areas that, until recently, were considered unpromising can be effective.
The largest in terms of the number of inhabitants of the city of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area are Novy Urengoy, Noyabrsk, Nadym, and Muravlenko.
Moreover, the region is becoming the new logistics hub of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). Active construction of the Northern Latitudinal Railway (NLR) line, the Bovanenkovo-Sabetta section and the development of the Sabetta international seaport are ongoing. NLR involves the creation of a new railway with a length of 700 km (a transport corridor will connect the Northern and Sverdlovsk railways). The launch of these logistics projects will fully open the transport corridor for the export of goods from new, currently inaccessible Yamal fields.
2016
In 2016, the Novoportovskoye oil field and the “Arctic Gates” offshore oil terminal, built in the area of Kamenny Cape were put into commercial operation. The terminal is designed for year-round shipment of oil to the tankers of the Novoportovskoye oil and gas condensate field. The thickness of the ice around it in winter can exceed 2 m (!). And this required the use of unique technical solutions that ensure its reliable operation in the Far North.
It was with the commencement of the industrial operation of “Arctic Gate” in 2016 that Gazpromneft-Yamal was able to ship Novy Port grade oil to consumers all year round. In the first year alone, almost 3 million tons were shipped through the terminal. By the way, in the same year, oil from the East Messoyakhskoye field entered the trunk pipeline system. Yamal has become a truly unique springboard for high-tech domestic solutions. And this is especially important in the light of the implementation of the import substitution policy by the Russian government.
2017
A year later, in 2017, the Bovanenkovskoye field was supposed to reach the design level of production of 115 billion m3 of gas/year in 2017, but it did not work out. Maximum production remained at 90 billion m3 of gas/year due to two gas fields. On December 5, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in a video conference call at the commissioning ceremony of the third (final) gas field of the Bovanenkovo field. This year, Gazprom plans to commission 52 new gas wells at the Bovanenkovo gas field. And by 2022, gas production at the gas field should still reach 115 billion m3 of gas/year.
In the same 2017, the construction of the Sabetta seaport on the Kara Sea was completed. On March 28, the first “Christophe de Margerie” ice-class gas tanker filled with test volume of LNG first arrived there (this is the first of 15 gas tankers for the Yamal LNG project).
Christophe de Margerie
ice-class gas tanker
Installation of the “Arctic Gate” terminal with a total height of over 80 m was carried out using one of the world's largest crane ships, “Oleg Strashnov”, with a carrying capacity of 5 thousand tons.
2019
In March 2019, the full-scale development of the Kharasaveyskoye field began. The priority development target here is the Cenomanian-Aptian deposits. The start of gas production is planned for 2023. According to experts, there will be enough gas there to extract it until 2131.
All efforts, both of companies and regional authorities, were not in vain: in recent years, thanks to the launch of the largest Yamal oil and gas projects listed above, stimulating economic policies and adapting to external political and economic factors, hydrocarbon production has been kept at a stable level and even increased.
Thus, the volume of gas production in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug for the first 9 months of 2019 increased by 5.6% to 446.7 billion m3 compared to the same period in 2018. Oil production increased by 9.9% to 26.4 million tons, and production of gas condensate by 22.9% to 17.7 million tons.
The main volume of gas production in the region is still provided by Gazprom subsidiary enterprises: 330.3 billion m3, or 73.9% of the total gas production in the okrug. The share of NOVATEK companies amounted to 17.1%, or 76.6 billion m3. The rest companies produced 9% (39.8 billion m3). In total, gas production was performed by 38 enterprises in 102 fields in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area.
Meanwhile, the oil was produced by 22 companies at 69 fields. The share of Gazprom Neft enterprises amounted to 60.6% of all production in the region (16 million tons), Rosneft - 16.2% (4.3 million tons), NOVATEK enterprises - 15.5% (4, 1 million tons). The rest companies produced 2 million tons (7.7%).
Finally, gas condensate production was performed by 24 enterprises in 40 fields. The main volume of production is accounted for by NOVATEK enterprises: 47.5% of the total production, or 8.4 million tons. Gazprom companies produced 40.1% (7.1 million tons) of gas condensate, the rest subsoil users - 12.4% (2,2 million tons).
Total recoverable reserves of all fields on the Yamal Peninsula (excluding the shelf):
17
trillion m3 of gas
336
million tons of oil
0.84
billion tons of gas condensate
Today, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is one of the ten most attractive regions of Russia for investors. The level of investment allocated for the construction of industrial facilities is the highest in the country. The volume of investments in investment projects in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area until 2025 exceeds $ 100 billion. More than 70% of investments directed to the Russian Arctic are in Yamal.
According to previously announced data, in 2020 gas production in the region may reach 135-175 billion m3, and oil production - 44 million tons. These figures may still vary, as development of fields continues. The volume of gas and oil reserves in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area can exceed even the most daring forecasts. After all, the development of deposits continues. In addition, mining companies annually actively revise the prospects of old deposits, since it is already becoming clear that with a competent approach to the exploitation of deposits, the development of even those areas that, until recently, were considered unpromising can be effective.
The largest in terms of the number of inhabitants of the city of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area are Novy Urengoy, Noyabrsk, Nadym, and Muravlenko.
Moreover, the region is becoming the new logistics hub of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). Active construction of the Northern Latitudinal Railway (NLR) line, the Bovanenkovo-Sabetta section and the development of the Sabetta international seaport are ongoing. NLR involves the creation of a new railway with a length of 700 km (a transport corridor will connect the Northern and Sverdlovsk railways). The launch of these logistics projects will fully open the transport corridor for the export of goods from new, currently inaccessible Yamal fields.
Yamal SPG reached full capacity in 2018. Currently, the launch of the last 4th facility of the plant, originally planned for the end of 2019, has been postponed until the end of 2020. But in parallel, the NOVATEK, a Russian leader in LNG production, is already implementing the Arctic SPG 2, a next largest LNG project on the Gyda peninsula. The resource base of the new plant is the Utrennee field. The first phase is planned to be commissioned in 2022–2023. The Arctic LNG-2 project will become the second large-capacity LNG plant of NOVATEK.
It is important to note that the implementation of these megaprojects in the Yamal Peninsula and the surrounding water areas is carried out with a responsible attitude regarding the environment. The need to open the hydrocarbon treasury of permafrost, preserving the pristine purity of the Arctic, is a task at the state level.
Therefore, Gazprom, for example, blocks the only road to Bovanenkovo so that reindeer herds can cross it, NOVATEK is building a fish-breeding plant to increase the number of whitefish in the Yamal rivers, the regional authorities strictly monitor compliance with environmental laws and oil companies carry out “General cleaning” of the Yamal territories from garbage left from Soviet times.
The administrative center of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is Salekhard.
Today it is completely clear that the Far North, undoubtedly, has the right to develop, but it must be developed in a smart way. Scientists should work in the Arctic zone, innovative, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technologies should be applied.
Since the days of the pioneers of the Arctic it has become clear: permafrost only bows to the strong people, who have a goal and move towards it, in spite of everything and despite everything. Yamal has every right to say this: the region came closest to the development of the Arctic frontiers. The Arctic shelf is not tomorrow, but reality.
The development of the richest hydrocarbon deposits of the Yamal oil and gas region and the adjacent waters is the largest energy project in the recent history of Russia, which has no analogues in terms of complexity. And if its implementation is successful, Russia will forever gain the right to be called the main Arctic oil and gas power in the world.
Yamal, the Heart of the Oil and Gas Industry of Russia
Yamal SPG reached full capacity in 2018. Currently, the launch of the last 4th facility of the plant, originally planned for the end of 2019, has been postponed until the end of 2020. But in parallel, the NOVATEK, a Russian leader in LNG production, is already implementing the Arctic SPG 2, a next largest LNG project on the Gyda peninsula. The resource base of the new plant is the Utrennee field. The first phase is planned to be commissioned in 2022–2023. The Arctic LNG-2 project will become the second large-capacity LNG plant of NOVATEK.
It is important to note that the implementation of these megaprojects in the Yamal Peninsula and the surrounding water areas is carried out with a responsible attitude regarding the environment. The need to open the hydrocarbon treasury of permafrost, preserving the pristine purity of the Arctic, is a task at the state level.
Therefore, Gazprom, for example, blocks the only road to Bovanenkovo so that reindeer herds can cross it, NOVATEK is building a fish-breeding plant to increase the number of whitefish in the Yamal rivers, the regional authorities strictly monitor compliance with environmental laws and oil companies carry out “General cleaning” of the Yamal territories from garbage left from Soviet times.
The administrative center of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is Salekhard.
Today it is completely clear that the Far North, undoubtedly, has the right to develop, but it must be developed in a smart way. Scientists should work in the Arctic zone, innovative, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technologies should be applied.
Since the days of the pioneers of the Arctic it has become clear: permafrost only bows to the strong people, who have a goal and move towards it, in spite of everything and despite everything. Yamal has every right to say this: the region came closest to the development of the Arctic frontiers. The Arctic shelf is not tomorrow, but reality.
The development of the richest hydrocarbon deposits of the Yamal oil and gas region and the adjacent waters is the largest energy project in the recent history of Russia, which has no analogues in terms of complexity. And if its implementation is successful, Russia will forever gain the right to be called the main Arctic oil and gas power in the world.
Yamal, the Heart of the Oil and Gas Industry of Russia
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With the support of the Russian Ministry of energy and the government of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous area
© Information Agency Neftegaz.RU. 2000 - 2020.
All rights reserved.