OREANDA-NEWS. On July 06, 2009 A traditional meeting of M.Sh.Shaimiev, President of Tatarstan, with the management of the oil companies operating in the territory of the Republic was held at the Yelabuga Area, reported the press-centre of TATNEFT.

R.N.Minnikhanov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, F. Kh. Mukhametshin, Chairman of the State Council of the Republic, S.I. Erke, Deputy Head of the Oil and Gas Complex of the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of the Russian Federation, Sh. Takhautdinov, General Director of OAO TATNEFT as well as representatives of ministries and agencies, heads of municipal areas participated in the meeting.

Before the start of the meeting President of the Republic of Tatarstan visited the Ashalchinskoye natural bitumen field, where he familiarized with the progress of pilot operations. The field development with application of the steam assisted gravity drainage method was initiated in 2006. 28 thousand tons of oil have been produced since the beginning of this method application. 8.3 thousand tons of oil have been produced since the beginning of the year. The current oil production rate has reached 65 - 70 tons of oil per day (from three pairs of horizontal wells). The fourth pair of wells has been drilled and the fifth pair is in the process of drilling. The drilling is performed with application of "DRECO 2000" a Canadian made rig with a slanted mast.

Sh.F. Takhautdinov, General Director of OAO TATNEFT presented a report at the Yelabuga Summit meeting on the results of the Company's operation in the first half of the current year and he offered a brief overview of activities to further improve the efficiency of production. TATNEFT produced 12 million 792.6 thousand tons of crude oil during 6 months of 2009. Drilling entities of the Company penetrated 277 thousand meters of rock. 172 new producing wells with an average production rate 9.9 tons per day were put into operation.

131 thousand tons of crude oil were produced in the territories of the Russian Federation outside the Republic of Tatarstan in the 1st half of 2009. 10 wells were drilled and a crude oil treatment and custody transfer "Kalinoviy Spring" installation was commissioned.

Drilling and completion of the first exploration well was executed in Libya and drilling of two other wells has been schedule for this year. 4 exploration wells were drilled in Syria and two of those wells demonstrated flowing with the rate of 200 m3 per day. In the framework of Tatneft's cooperation with the oil industry of Turkmenistan the Company has successfully implemented pilot projects on the operation of the oil field equipment at the wells of Turkmenneft State Company.

The Company's activity is currently aimed at the effective solution of all tasks, maintenance of competitiveness, implementation of key strategic projects and fulfillment of social commitments.
There were presentations made by the other participants at the meeting: members of the Government of Tatarstan, heads of small oil companies operating in the territory of Tatarstan.

M. Sh. Shaimiev, President of the Republic of Tatarstan, highly appraised contribution of the oilmen into the economy of the Republic and the welfare of its residents. He emphasized that only joint and coordinated efforts of the Republican municipal authorities, TATNEFT and mobile small oil companies can provide for a rational and efficient operation of the oil fields in the Republic.