MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will announce the start of exploration drilling on West Alpha platform, operating on the most remote oil well, Universitetskaya-1, in the Kara Sea, on August 9, the president’s press service reported Friday.
The launch ceremony will see President of Rosneft Igor Sechin and President of ExxonMobil Russia Glenn Waller in attendance.
Oil well Universitetskaya-1 will be drilled in open waters from August to late October. The well is being developed by Rosneft in a joint venture with ExxonMobil.
West Alpha platform has been modified in order to accommodate it to operating in the conditions of the Kara Sea. It is equipped with an ice conditions monitoring system in order to prevent the platform from clashing with icebergs.
ExxonMobil is one of Rosneft’s oldest and biggest partners, with whom it is working on several projects.
The two oil companies continue the work on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility to be located on Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East and launched in 2018. Last year the two companies also signed documents establishing a joint venture to implement a pilot project for tight oil reserves development in Western Siberia.
