Editor's note: Operational information and photos for this feature were provided by Dean E. Gaddy, director of operations-Russia, for Ocean Energy Inc.
A US-Russian joint venture in existence for a decade continues to operate successfully in Russia's Tatarstan Republic.
ZAO Tatex, a joint venture of OAO Tatneft, Almetyevsk, Russia, and Texneft, a subsidiary of Ocean Energy Inc., Houston, has operated since the mid-1990s.
Photo B depicts a screw pump being deployed in Demkinskoye field's Well 4611; screw pumps are being used in the field to handle its highly viscous crude.
With Tatex management and personnel operating to western standards, Tatar and Russian personnel manage daily operations, while US personnel concentrate on the introduction of new technologies.
The JV, founded in December 1990, was formed to install and operate vapor recovery units (VRUs) at Tatneft tank farms in the early 1990s. There are now 14 VRUs in Tatarstan, with 3 more to be added by yearend. The JV also owns 7 workover and completion rigs and 3 swabbing units.
Tatex began operating Onbysk field, 30 km west of the giant Romashinkoye field in Tatarstan, in 1993. At that time, there were 108 wells producing at a rate of 300 tonnes/day. Since then, Tatex has drilled 115 additional oil wells, along with 34 water injection wells, that now produce about 950 tonnes/day. In addition, Tatex's horizontal well group has drilled three multilateral wells in this field.
Tatex also operates Demkinskoye field, 100 km west of Onbysk. Demkinskoye, which began production 2 years ago, currently produces 300 tonnes/day from 25 wells. Because of the heavy crude oil found in the area, the JV is looking at ways to optimize production based on an ongoing evaluation of the oil characteristics and reservoir properties.
