Russia plans to begin commercial oil production in a third western Siberian province, Novosibirsk.
Lying south of Tyumen and Tomsk provinces, Novosibirsk holds a number of small oil fields in its northern sector near the border with Tomsk province. But none of the deposits has been developed.
The first Novosibirsk field to go on production is likely to be Verkh-Tarkskoye, Itar-Tass news agency reported. Recoverable reserves are estimated at 24.5 million metric tons (179 million bbl).
Discovered in 1974, Verkh-Tarkskoye was ignored while the former Soviet Union concentrated its efforts on developing much larger fields in Tyumen, and to a lesser degree, Tomsk provinces.
Interest in Verkh-Tarkskoye has increased as flow from big oil fields in Tyumen province declined in recent years. Verkh-Tarkskoye is 112 miles from the trans-Siberian railroad and a parallel oil pipeline.
While small by past western Siberian standards, Verkh-Tarkskoye apparently is the largest oil field in Novosibirsk province. The field's crude reportedly is of "exceptionally high quality."
Russia has not started commercial oil production in western Siberia's Omsk province. Lying west of Novosibirsk province, Omsk has reported several small oil finds.
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