Gazprom Neft and SNF to Develop EOR Technologies
Gazpromneft – Technological Partnerships (formerly the Bazhen Technology Center), the French SNF holding and its Russian subsidiary SNF Vostok signed a memorandum of cooperation in the development, testing and launch of technologies for chemical enhanced oil recovery technologies on the Russian market.
The parties agreed to cooperate in the production and supply of polymers for Gazprom Neft’s projects, implemented using chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods. Chemical flooding is a widely used method of enhanced oil recovery, providing additional production at mature fields at the level of 15-20%. The technology has long been successfully used both abroad and in Russia, including in the license areas of Gazprom Neft in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
Today, the widespread introduction of KhMUN in Russia is limited by the high cost of foreign polymers in the absence of domestic analogues. The memorandum will contribute to the development of the market for domestic polymers, which will be in demand in the implementation of projects of KhMUN.
Another area of cooperation between Gazprom Neft and the largest European polymer manufacturer will be cooperation in the field of engineering and production of equipment for waterflooding technologies.
“Enhanced oil recovery technologies are needed both to develop hard-to-recover reserves and to increase production at mature fields. Tests carried out at our assets have shown that the use of this method allows us to increase the oil recovery factor to almost the maximum possible 70%. This is twice the industry average. According to calculations, in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug alone, up to 450 million tons of oil can be additionally produced. For Gazprom Neft, the development of chemical methods of enhanced oil recovery is one of the key technological challenges that we will be solving together with our partners.” Said Alexey Vashkevich Director for Technological Development, Gazprom Neft
“Projects using enhanced oil recovery technologies are being implemented by SNF all over the world. In Russia, we look forward to achieving particular success through our partnership. Noting the huge potential of polymer flooding technology in Russia, four years ago we decided to build a polyacryamide plant in Saratov. We are pleased that cooperation has been established between Gazprom Neft and SNF and, of course, we hope for our part to share both experience and, in fact, to supply the necessary equipment and polymers.” Said Pascal Remy President of SNF Holding
