Gazprom launches full-scale development of the Chonsk field in Eastern Siberia, with an annual capacity of 2 million tons

Gazprom has announced that the Chonsk oil field cluster in Eastern Siberia has entered the stage of commercial oil production. The production complex put into operation at the field cluster integrates 150 infrastructure projects, including core facilities such as crude oil treatment units, oil pipelines, metering stations, and two captive power plants. Once fully operational, the system will be able to supply approximately 2 million tons of crude oil per year to the Eastern Siberia–Pacific Ocean (ESPO) pipeline.

Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Management Committee of Gazprom, said: “With the launch of the Chonsk project, we are strengthening our position in the markets of the Asia-Pacific region. Overall, we are making a significant contribution to enhancing Russia’s energy security and sovereignty.” The development of the field cluster is carried out by Gazprom Neft. Previously, oil production at Chonsk was considered economically unfeasible because the hydrocarbon reservoirs are buried in geologically complex formations. Alexander Dyukov, Chairman of the Management Committee of Gazprom Neft, noted that the challenge was overcome through the use of digital modeling tools, modern extraction technologies, and synergies with the infrastructure of Transneft and Surgutneftegas.

The project team used digital geological and fluid dynamics models to select efficient development methods, including high-tech horizontal wells and multistage hydraulic fracturing. For the first time in onshore drilling in Russia, robotic drilling rigs were introduced, increasing operational efficiency by about one third. All process equipment was built using a modular design with a high degree of prefabrication. These solutions helped complete the oil infrastructure construction in two years, beating the industry standard.

Vladimir Krupenikov, General Director of Gazpromneft Arktika, explained: “With mobile technology, we were able to initiate early production and find effective solutions to unlock reserves. Modern construction, drilling and geological methods, along with our extensive experience in developing ‘difficult’ reservoirs in Eastern Siberia, have helped us launch full scale oil production.” The Chonsk field cluster is located on the border of the Irkutsk Region and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Local authorities believe this large scale project will drive regional economic growth. Aisen Nikolayev, Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), commented: “The start of commercial oil production at the Chonsk field cluster is a significant event for the energy sector of Eastern Russia. I am confident that Gazprom will achieve new successes in the future, and we, for our part, will continue to provide full support for the implementation of oil and gas projects by this strategic partner on our territory.”

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