MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti, Peter Lavelle) - State-owned energy giant Gazprom has received a license to develop an offshore field 1.73 billion barrels of crude oil reserves, according to a company news release. Gazprom explored the Dolginskoye field in the Pechora Sea, lying to the north of European Russia, from 1995-2000 and discovered the oil there. The field is located close to Prirazlomnoye, which has also been developed by Gazprom.
Dolginskoye is expected to produce 230,000 barrels per day of crude per year at peak production and increase Gazprom's current oil and condensate reserves of 9.42 billion barrels by 18%.
Gazprom has made expansion of its oil production a strategic priority. Its production plans in the Pechora region could also add fuel to long discussed plans for developing export infrastructure on the Barents Sea, which includes the Pechora Sea.
This development would allow for higher levels of crude oil export not only for Gazprom, but for other Russian oil producers as well.
