New Gazprom Neft science and technology centre for hard-to-recover reserves opens at Skolkovo

Gazprom Neft’s new Integrated Engineering Centre for hard-to-recover reserves has now opened. This innovative department at the Skolkovo Innovation Centre will improve efficiency and cut lead-times in implementing R&D projects in developing non-traditional reserves.

The Integrated Engineering Centre has been established to provide scientific and technical support for projects involving the development of unconventional and hard-to-recover hydrocarbon reserves. The key focus of its activities will be developing technologies for oil exploration and production at the Bazhenov Formation, and at Domanic and pre-Jurassic deposits.

Specialists at the Gazprom Neft Integrated Engineering Centre will have access to Skolkovo’s cutting-edge science and technology infrastructure, and will be able to use its unique hydrocarbon-production research centre in their work. They will also have the opportunity to work in integrated teams with Skolkovo’s resident organisations, as well as engaging with independent business, scientific and venture capital specialists. Collaboration of this kind will ensure full and cohesive support for projects undertaken by the Bazhenov Technology Centre, as well as improving research quality and the scientific and practical value of this.

This specialist department at Skolkovo also offers the opportunity to get involved in educational programmes and national and international events in applied science, as well as taking advantage of support mechanisms in intellectual property protection and the certification of new technologies.

“Those reserves that we deem to constitute ‘non-traditional’ resources have enormous potential — about 60 billion tonnes of oil at the Bazhenov Formation alone. Developing production tools for ‘tight oil’ is a strategic objective not just for us, but for the entire industry. We test new drilling, enhanced oil recovery and well operation technologies at hard-to-recover reserves every year. Thanks to which we have, already, been able to halve production costs for Bazhenov oil and, in a few years, will go into full commercial production. In addition to which, we are developing numerous unique future oil-production technologies in partnership with the country’s leading science and technology centres.”

Alexei Vashkevich Technology Director, Gazprom Neft

“The leading international oil and gas and service companies are investing ever more in establishing R&D centres in order to access new technologies and invest in innovation. We also see this new specialist department as a mechanism for developing the technological element of the business. Particularly given that investigations into non-traditional reserves are set to double over the next year.”

Kirill Strizhnev CEO, Bazhenov Technology Centre