Zapolyarnoye output reaches capacity rate

Supergiant Zapolyarnoye natural gas and condensate field has reached its design capacity output of 130 billion cu m/year to become Russia’s most prolific gas field, reports Gazprom, parent of operator Gazprom Dobycha Yamburg.

On stream since 2001 in the Taz District of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, the field reached capacity with the commissioning of a second comprehensive gas treatment unit for production from Valanginian deposits and of the third compressor workshop at the Zapolyarnaya main compressor station of the 190-km-long Zapolyarnoye-Urengoy gas trunkline.

The field now has two comprehensive gas treatment units for Valanginian production and three for Cenomanian gas. Gazprom estimates reserves at more than 3.5 trillion cu m of gas and 80 million tonnes of condensate and oil.

Production from initially developed Cenomanian strata reached full capacity of 100 billion cu m/year in 2004. Production from deeper Valanginian deposits began in 2011.