Donskoi: Rosneft doesn’t plan to drill in the Kara Sea in 2016
© RIA Novosti. Vladimir Trefilov

Donskoi: Rosneft doesn’t plan to drill in the Kara Sea in 2016

Russian oil and gas company Rosneft has no plans for drilling operations in the Kara Sea in 2016, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoi told RIA Novosti.

"The company has no drilling plans this year. In my opinion we shouldn't put this off. We hope that Rosneft will start drilling [in the Kara Sea] next year," the minister said.

Donskoi also clarified that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment does not forecast oil and gas companies' production figures. "This is the responsibility of the Ministry of Energy," he said.

The Natural Resources Ministry forecasts exploration volumes and collects information about the results from the companies.

"When the difference between the [exploration] work done and the plans is between 5 and 10 percent, it's unclear which companies are responsible and for how much of the difference. Rosneft plans to reduce [exploration] in a consolidated manner, as per its plans," Donskoi said in reply to a question about the ministry's possible claims against the oil companies that do not comply with the licensing requirements on field development.

According to RIA Novosti, the government invested 28 billion rubles in exploration in 2015, or 20 percent less than in 2014.