Lukoil has commissioned a steam-generation complex at Yarega heavy-oil field in the Republic of Komi in Russia, where first-half production was up 77% over the comparable period of 2017.
The company said output in the first 6 months totaled 761,000 tonnes of highly viscous oil.
Yarega field, where production exceeded 1 million tonnes for the first time last year, has two main producing areas. It produces via thermally enhanced mining, which Lukoil calls “thermoshaft,” in the Yarega area and via steam-assisted gravity drainage in the Lyayel area.
The new facility has five boilers with combined capacity of 125 tonnes/hr of steam.
Last year, Lukoil added steam-generation capacity of 300 tonnes/hr at Yarega.
Hydrocarbons at Yarega occur under low pressure at depths of 165-200 m.
