Gazprom Neft and Shell have agreed to expand their JV Salym Petroleum Development. The company’s portfolio of assets will include a license for the right to geological survey, exploration and production of conventional hydrocarbon reserves of the Salymsky 2 block in the Khanty Mansiisk Autonomous Region.

Pursuant to the decision of the partners, Salym Petroleum Development N.V. (SPD) acquires from Gazpromneft Khantos and Gazpromneft-Invest 100% interest in the share capital of Salymsky-2 LLC in whose name the license for the block of the same name will be reissued. SPD will also act as the operator of the new development project.

The Salymsky-2 license block is located in the Khanty Mansiisk Autonomous Region. It has an area of 376 km2. The eastern part of the block adjoins the West Salym, Vadelyp and Upper Salym fields, which are being developed by SPD. There are no field-specific infrastructure facilities. However, close proximity to the areas, which are being developed by SPD, will have a synergistic effect, allowing efficient use of the existing SPD production facilities.

The deal will be closed after all the conditions precedent of the contract are met and in accordance with the laws applicable to the parties.

The Salymsky-2 block is still being studied; two appraisal wells have been drilled at the site. At the moment interpretation of geological information obtained from the earlier 3D seismic surveys is under way.

Vadim Yakovlev Gazprom Neft Deputy CEO Upstream said:
“By transferring the Salymsky-2 block to the SPD asset base and achieving synergy with SPD’s exiting infrastructure we will be able to receive the maximum gains from the block and realize its production potential in the most efficient way, identifying geological uncertainties as part of the additional appraisal effort. The SPD team did an excellent job studying the block and analyzing its integration opportunities. It is symbolic that Gazprom Neft and Shell celebrated their 10th anniversary which started, specifically, with the development of the Salym group of fields, where we have produced more than 80 million tonnes of oil over the last decade. The longstanding experience of our successful teamwork laid the foundation for a successful growth of SPD and new joint opportunities in the future”.
Vadim Yakovlev

Cederic Cremers, Shell Country Chair Russia, said that “Shell fully supports the expansion of the Salym project. This support is based on SPD’s successful experience as an efficient field development operator and on the confidence in the reliability and professionalism of our partner, Gazprom Neft.”

Notes:

Gazpromneft Khantos was established in 2005 and is one of the main production assets of Gazprom Neft. The company’s tasks include exploration and development of fields located in the Khanty Mansiisk Autonomous Region and Tyumen Region: the south license area of the Priob field, the northeastern part of Palyanovskoye acreage of the Krasnoleninkoye field, Yuznoye, Orekhovo-Yermakovskoye, Zimnee, South Kinaminskoye, Maloyuganskoye and the A. Zhagrin fields.

Salym Petroleum Development is a joint venture whose shareholders on a parity basis are Shell Salym Development B.V. (part of Royal Dutch Shell plc) and GPN-Salymskiye Proekty Limited Liability Company (part of Gazprom Neft group of companies).

Since 2003, SPD has been developing the Salym Group of oilfields, which is located in the Khanty Mansiisk Autonomous Region. The Salym project is the largest onshore investment project involving foreign capital in the Russian oil industry. The company’s cumulative oil production since the beginning of the development of the Salym Group of fields has exceeded 83 million tons of oil.

About Gazprom Neft

Gazprom Neft is a vertically integrated oil company, primarily involved in oil and gas exploration and production, refining, and the production and sale of oil products. The Gazprom Neft’s corporate structure comprises more than 70 production, refining and sales subsidiaries throughout Russia, the CIS, and abroad.
The company’s proved and probable reserves (SPE-PRMS) are estimated at 2.78 billion tonnes of oil equivalent (btoe), making Gazprom Neft one of the top-20 largest oil and gas companies in the world, and one of Russia’s top three largest companies in terms of production and refining volumes. Total production in 2017 reached 89.75 million tonnes of oil equivalent (mtoe), with refining volumes of 40.1 million tonnes.
Gazprom Neft products are exported to more than 50 countries worldwide, and sold throughout the Russian Federation and abroad. The company’s filling station network totals more than 1,850 outlets throughout Russia, the CIS and Europe.

About Royal Dutch Shell plc

Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 70 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects.