OREANDA-NEWS. July 18, 2008. The joint-stock company “Orenburgneft” incorporated in TNK-BP put into operation a new gas compressor station costing 44 million rubles in the Dolgovskoe field operated by the oil and gas production department of Buzulukneft, informed the press service of TNK-BP, reported the press-centre of TNK-BP.

The launch of this new gas compressor station will make it possible to utilize over 70,000 cubic meters of gas a day and stop burning of gas in flares. One more flare, which used to burn approximately 15–20 million cubic meters of gas a year since 1974, has been put out.

According to the report of the press service, this is the first gas compressor station constructed in the framework of Gas Program implementation. “Air in the Kurmanaevsk District will now be much cleaner. The flare of the Savyolovsk dome will be put out in another ten days. According to the plan, five more gas compressor stations will be launched this year. The ultimate goal of the Gas Program, consisting is raising the level of associated petroleum gas utilization up to 95%, will be achieved by the end of this year,” says the report.

The Gas Program developed in 2007 and its measures are aimed at minimizing the volume of associated petroleum gas burned in flares and reducing the negative impact of oil production facilities of Orenburgneft on the environment. Over 16,5 billion rubles will be spent by 2011 for implementation of these measures. More than 30 flares will be put out, 22 gas compressor stations launched, and over 350 km of gas pipelines built in 2008–2010.

Orenburgneft produces oil in four oil-bearing provinces of the Orenburg Region – the Buzuluk, Buguruslan, Sorochinsk, and Pervomaisky Districts.

As reported earlier, after purchasing the shares of minority shareholders in a tender announced in late 2007, TNK-BP Holding became the owner of 100% of shares of Orenburgneft. In early 2008, Orenburgneft incorporated Orenburggeologiya.