PJSC Ukrnafta and the American Petroleum Institute (API) have signed a memorandum of understanding, according to which the company will have access to API standards agreed by the global industry community.
“Our experts will take part in meetings and working groups focused on developing and discussing top international practices. API and Ukrnafta will be able to jointly organize standardization, training, certification and safety events,” the company said in a press release on Friday.
According to the document, citing Ukrnafta CEO Serhiy Koretsky, this is the most strategic step for the national oil industry in many years of its existence.
“The Ukrainian oil and gas industry has a glorious history, strong experience and great development prospects. However, we have long been dependent on Soviet, Russian and Belarusian equipment. The API Memorandum should change this for good,” the CEO said.
The signed agreement confirms the commitment of both parties to strengthen Ukraine’s energy independence and its move away from Russian standards, equipment and operations.
According to the press release, quoting API Senior Vice President of Global Industry Services Anchal Liddar, API, as the world’s premier standard-setting organization for the natural gas and oil industries, is honored to begin a new cooperative relationship with Ukrnafta.
“This alliance reinforces our shared vision of strengthening Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and independence based on our world-class standards,” said Liddar.
For his part, according to the Ukrnafta CEO, the memorandum actually opens the door to the future for the company.
“We will be able to exchange information about annual programs, plans for the development of standards and best practices, which will allow us to understand how the world will develop and what Ukrnafta needs to do to be on the same page with the benchmarks that drive progress in the oil and gas industry,” Koretsky explained.
It is noted that the memorandum of understanding with API will allow Ukrnafta to significantly increase its efficiency and attract the best examples of world technologies to the development of the Ukrainian oil industry.
“This is one of the key projects of the company’s transformation in the coming years, which will allow Ukraine to gain the desired energy independence,” the press release says.
API was established in 1919. Since then, the organization has developed more than 800 standards to improve operational and environmental safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
Currently, API represents all segments of the American oil and gas industry. About 600 members of the organization produce, process and distribute most of the energy in the United States and participate in the API Energy Excellence® program, which accelerates progress in environmental and safety protection through the introduction of new technologies and transparent reporting.
PJSC Ukrnafta has designed and built platforms with removable base supports for well workovers on its own.
“The maximum load on the rotor table that the platform can withstand is 60 tons, which is enough to accommodate all the necessary equipment, even with a reserve,” the company said in a press release on Thursday.
The design allows for comfortable and safe working conditions for employees and reduces the cost of hoisting operations during repairs.
According to the company, the order for the Ukrnafta Drilling well workover and underground repair shop was made at the production base of Ukrnafta’s Oilfield Service Department (OPSD) in Dolyna, Ivano-Frankivsk region.
“The design took into account all the technical and technological requirements, as well as the specifics of use – both in well conditions and during transportation,” the company said.
The teams at the production base in Dolyna have been working on the project for several months.
Currently, two workover platforms have already been manufactured, and plans for this year include the manufacture of two more similar platforms for current well workovers.
PJSC Ukrnafta is waiting for applications from potential partners for the joint development of 21 fields by January 10, 2024, the company’s press service reports.
According to the company, these are 10 fields in the west and 11 in the east of Ukraine.
It is specified that Ukrnafta plans to fully unlock the potential of its fields with sufficient reserves but low production rates, so it expects its partners to be ready to invest funds and technologies in exploration and production.
“If we talk about 2P reserves, i.e. proven and probable reserves, it is more than 12 million tons of oil and more than 31 billion cubic meters of gas,” said the company’s director Sergiy Koretsky.
According to the press release, Ukrnafta has already prepared draft contracts based on the best international practices. Preference is given to Product Sharing Agreements. The company’s contribution will be the field and the right to use the existing production infrastructure, while the partner’s contribution will be a field development plan to intensify production and finance the relevant works.
The algorithm for applying and selecting potential investors is as follows: candidates declare their interest, go through compliance procedures, get access to the Virtual Data Room with detailed information about the fields, and submit proposals for development plans and terms of cooperation.
Ukrnafta then evaluates the proposals, negotiates and selects the winners separately for each field. The parties then agree on the final text of the production sharing agreement, followed by the Cabinet of Ministers, after which the development plan is implemented.
Profits will be distributed according to the agreed terms.
As reported, Ukrnafta, which has been fully controlled by the state since the end of 2022, has a strategic goal to double oil and natural gas production to 3 million tons and 2 billion cubic meters by 2027, respectively. In 2023, the company plans to increase oil production by 5.8% (by 0.077 million tons) compared to last year to 1.447 million tons, and gas production by 0.3% (by 0.003 million cubic meters) to 1.04 billion cubic meters.
Ukrnafta and SOCAR have agreed on the mutual circulation of fuel cards in their networks by signing an agreement on an inter-member program.
According to Ukrnafta’s press release, legal entities holding its NAFTACard and SOCAR’s sCard with a cash deposit can get the required amount of fuel at both networks with discounts from the price of the filling station on the date of their visit.
Payment is made using funds on the accounts linked to the fuel cards.
“This allows the customers of both companies to expand the geography of their filling stations: Ukrnafta’s network now has 456 filling stations, and SOCAR’s network has 57. So, no matter where you are, you can always fill your car with quality fuel at a favorable price,” the press release says.
As reported, at the end of September this year Ukrnafta started working with BVS (75 filling stations), VST (88 filling stations) and Ovis (43 filling stations) networks in the field of fuel cards.
“Ukrnafta is the largest oil company in Ukraine and operates a national network of 537 filling stations, of which 456 are in operation.
Ukrnafta’s largest shareholder is Naftogaz of Ukraine with a 50%+1 share. On November 5, 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decided to transfer to the state a share of corporate rights of the company owned by private owners, which is now managed by the Ministry of Defense.
State-owned PJSC Ukrnafta is building three new wells in western Ukraine, both using its own drilling rigs and engaging contractors with relevant experience, the company said in a press release on Saturday.
“We are currently assembling a drilling rig from our partners at BC Horizons LLC, selected through a transparent tender procedure. First, this equipment will be used to drill well No. 32, then No. 34 at the Verkhnemaslovetske field,” said Sergiy Koretsky, Ukrnafta’s CEO.
It is specified that the purpose of well No. 32 is to explore deposits of the Stryian sediments, and then, depending on the geological results of this well, No. 34 will be drilled, which should go deeper – to menilite deposits.
According to the release, the next step is to drill another well, No. 33, also into the Stryian deposits, but a different drilling rig will be used for this purpose.
It is specified that the company’s own drilling rigs are also busy: two are working on new wells in the east and west, and another will drill a sidetrack – in fact, a new well in an old one – in northern Ukraine.
Ukrnafta is the largest oil producer in Ukraine, holding 87 special permits for hydrocarbon production, and operating in eastern and western Ukraine. At the end of June, the company announced a tender for the construction of three slant wells at the Verkhnemaslovetske field with an expected cost of UAH 184 million (excluding VAT). The new facilities are to be commissioned by June 30, 2024. The new wells should discover promising deposits within the field discovered in 2000. In total, four new wells are planned to be constructed at the Verkhnemaslovetske field in 2023 and five more in 2024. These will be both directional and horizontal wells.
“In 2023, Ukrnafta plans to increase oil production by 5.8% (by 0.077 million tons) compared to last year to 1.447 million tons, and gas production by 0.3% (by 0.003 million cubic meters) to 1.04 billion cubic meters.
The company also operates a national network of 537 filling stations, of which 456 are in operation. The company is implementing a comprehensive program to restore operations and update the format of its filling stations. Since February 2023, Ukrnafta has been issuing its own fuel coupons and NAFTAKarta cards, which are sold to legal entities and individuals through Ukrnafta-Postach LLC.
Ukrnafta’s largest shareholder is Naftogaz of Ukraine with a 50%+1 share. On November 5, 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decided to transfer to the state a share of corporate rights of the company owned by private owners, which is currently managed by the Ministry of Defense. In November 2022, Koretskyi was appointed director of the company.
PJSC Ukrnafta is preparing to drill two wells #32 and #34 at the Verkhnemaslovetske field in Lviv region, the company’s press service said on Thursday.
Both wells are planned as directional and exploration and production wells.
Well No. 32 with a depth of 1,250 meters is expected to uncover the Stryian deposits. According to the digital 3D geological and hydrodynamic model of the field, the current recoverable oil reserves in the productive horizons of the Stryy formation amount to 1.121 million tons. The initial production rate is expected to be 42.5 tons of oil per day.
Well No. 34 will be drilled to a depth of 1,550 meters to the mesolithic deposits. The current recoverable oil reserves in the productive horizons of the Mnemiolite formation amount to 464 thousand tons. After the well has developed the drained reserves of the Menelitic deposits, it will be transferred to the overlying horizons of the Stryian deposits. The initial flow rate is 30.1 tons per day.
“The facilities will be built by a contractor with experience in western Ukraine, Horizons Drilling Company LLC, selected through a transparent procurement procedure, and will be completed on a turnkey basis,” said Sergiy Koretsky, Ukrnafta’s CEO.
As reported, in late June Ukrnafta announced a tender for the construction of three inclined wells at the Verkhnemaslovetske field with an expected cost of UAH 184 million (excluding VAT). The new facilities are to be commissioned by June 30, 2024. The new wells should discover promising deposits within the field discovered in 2000.
In total, four new wells are planned to be constructed at the Verkhnemaslovetske field in 2023 and five more in 2024. These will be both directional and horizontal wells.
“In 2023, Ukrnafta plans to increase oil production by 5.8% (by 0.077 million tons) compared to last year to 1.447 million tons, and gas production by 0.3% (by 0.003 million cubic meters) to 1.04 billion cubic meters.
On November 5, 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Office decided to seize Ukrnafta shares (except for the controlling stake in Naftogaz of Ukraine) as military property for the duration of martial law. Before the seizure, the structures of Ihor Kolomoisky and Hennadiy Boholyubov owned about 42% of Ukrnafta shares.
