Chornomornaftogaz ups gas output by 14.7% in nine months

Chornomornaftogaz increased the production of natural gas in January-September 2012 by 14.7% (108 million cubic meters) year-over-year, to 843 million cubic meters, the company's press service has told UKRINFORM.

«In January-September 2012, State Joint-Stock Company Chornomornaftogaz increased the production of natural gas by 14.7%, or 108 million cubic meters, compared to the same period last year. The company produced 843 million cubic meters in the first nine months of the year,» reads the statement.

According to the press service, the main increase in natural gas production was reported in the third quarter of 2012, when it amounted to 18.2% compared to the same period in 2011, to 300.9 million cubic meters. This was due to the work on the development of the Shtormove and Arkhanhelske fields and the overhaul of wells at the Holitsynske field.

Chornomornaftogaz expects an even more significant increase in production after the commissioning of the Odeske and Bezimenne gas fields.

Thanks to the capabilities of high-tech jack-up rigs, the first of which - Petro Hodovanets - started operating on June 1, and the second one will be commissioned in the fourth quarter of this year, natural gas production in 2012 is expected to reach 1.17 billion cubic meters and in 2013 - 1.65 billion cubic meters. The growth of 500 million cubic meters, which is a quarter of annual gas consumption in Crimea, will be ensured through the continued development of the Odeske and Bezimenne gas fields, using high-tech jack-up rigs, Chornomornaftogaz said.

As earlier reported, Chornomornaftogaz increased natural gas production in 2011 by 0.5% compared with 2010, to 1.056 billion cubic meters.

Adapted from Ukrinform