Gazprom Neft ups Arctic offshore oil production 150 percent in 2016
© Alexey Danichev

Gazprom Neft ups Arctic offshore oil production 150 percent in 2016

According to a statement on the company's website, Gazprom Neft produced 2.154 million metric tons of ARCO (Arctic Oil) crude at its Prirazlomnaya offshore platform. This is 150 percent more than in 2015, when Gazprom Neft delivered 800,000 metric tons of oil to customers in northwest Europe.

Oil produced at the Prirazlomnoye field has a high density of approximately 906 kilograms per cubic meter, high sulfur content, high bitumen content, low carbon residue, and a high volume of fractions used in the production of lubricating oil. Unique chemicals used in road construction, tire production and the aerospace and pharmaceutical industries can be produced from ARCO oil.

Oil production at the Prirazlomnoye field began in December 2013, and the first consignment of the new Arctic oil was distributed in April 2014. Safety is the focus of all operations, with loading only launched with the simultaneous compliance with 30 safety requirements. The line for pumping oil to tankers is equipped with an emergency shutdown system, which can be used to stop the offloading at a moment's notice.

The Prirazlomnoye field located in the Pechora Sea is, so far, the only producing offshore oil field in the Russian Arctic.