Novatek confirms Achimov gas prospect

Russia’s largest private natural gas producer Novatek said that Arcticgas, a joint venture between Novatek and Gazprom Neft, completed a horizontal well number ‘U2802’ targeting the lower Achimov formation at the Urengoyskoye field.

An eight-stage hydro-fracturing program was completed utilizing a record-high proppant volume of 2,187 tons at well number ‘U2802’ with a total length of 5,624 meters and a horizontal section of 1,500 meters.

A wireless inflow monitoring technology using marked proppant was implemented, Novatek said in its statement. Permanent downhole pressure and temperature gauges are also used in production to monitor real-time data.

The well achieved a daily flow rate of more than one million cubic meters of natural gas and 500 tons of gas condensate, confirming significant prospect to develop the lower Achimov deposits.