M.E.STAVSKY, I.R. DIYASHEV (Sibneft JSC), Russia

In the 70-80s of the previous century there was an extensive exploration activity in the onshore parts of the Anadyr and Khatyrka oil and gas basins; this resulted in a number of oil and gas discoveries in this region. Further seismic exploration works enabled to identify several dozens of local prospective oil and gas structures in the offshore Anadyr basin, Bering Sea. However, in 1993 exploration activity in the region was stopped due to deficiency of state financing.

It was only in 2001 when geological exploration was renewed in the region. Sibneft JSC set up Sibneft-Chukotka Ltd as its subsidiary in Chukotka Autonomous Region; at present it acquired licenses for б exploration areas: Zapadno-Ozerny, Lagoona, Telekai onshore and Centralny, Beringov and Tuman offshore prospects.

In 2001 considerable quantities of seismic exploration works were commissioned to Sibneft JSC by Dalmorneftegeophysika (DMNG) with the objective to delineate several local structures within the Centralny and Beringov license areas for further exploration drilling. Several local structures have been studied in detail.

Petroleum prospect assessment program for the Russian sector of the Bering Sea was practically implemented in July 2002 when the first exploration well was drilled in the Centralnaya structure. Centralnaya-1 well enabled to acquire a unique set of G&G data on one of the least studied offshore areas of Russia; this set of data was further used to build up geological model of the Anadyr basin and select the mostly prospective well locations for further drilling.
Drilling operations in the Anadyr bay was an incomparable experience for both the company management and G&G experts, for these required good organization skill and high quality researches in the environment of sub-arctic offshore area. As of now, the company exploration interests are not only in the Bering Sea but also in the Chukchi Sea offshore area, which occurs in more severe climatic conditions but. regarding many parameters, is considered to be more prospective exploration play.

ARCTIC SHELF OIL AND GAS CONFERENCE 2004