OREANDA-NEWS. November 28, 2011. NGDU Sorochinskneft (part of OJSC Orenburgneft, a subsidiary of TNK-BP) has begun pilot tests on a vortex heat generation unit to enhance production of viscous oil at the Baklanovskoe field. The unit is used to heat the produced liquid, reducing its viscosity and solving the problem of transporting it to the oil processing unit.

According to the head of Sorochinskneft’s innovation team Nikolay Matyukhin, the heat generation unit is a step towards deploying alternative upstream technologies designed to improve process stability in oil production facilities. Thanks to the new technology, production chemicals will no longer be required, saving around 35 mln rules annually while also cutting operating costs. Annual production at the Baklanovskoe field is currently over 120,000 tonnes.

Information for editors:

TNK-BP is Russia’s third largest oil company and is owned by BP and the AAR consortium (Alfa Group/Access Industries/Renova) on a parity basis. Additionally, TNK-BP owns approximately 50% of the Russian oil and gas company Slavneft. TNK-BP’s share in Russia’s oil production (including its share in Slavneft) is about 16%. The Company’s total proved SEC LOF reserves are 8.794 billion BOE as of December 31, 2010.

OJSC Orenburgneft incorporates NGDU Sorochinskneft and the Zaikinskoe gas processing plant. LLC Buguruslanneft is TNK-BP’s oldest Orenburg subsidiary, where the first commercial production of oil began 74 years ago. In 2010, these subsidiaries achieved a total production level of 19.9 mt. The TNK-BP group’s Orenburg subsidiaries operate across 92 licence blocks.

References to “TNK-BP” or “the Group” mean “TNK International and the Company’s consolidated subsidiaries” unless the context requires a different reading.