Gazprom sends rig from Black Sea to new Arctic drill site

Atle Staalesen, The Independent Barents Observer
Posted: Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at 10:39
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The Arctic port of Sabetta on the Yamal Peninsula, where the «Amazon» was first transported to, before heading to the Kola Bay. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)

The «Amazon» makes it from the Turkish port of Tuzla to Gulf of Ob as owner Gazprom gets ready for new Arctic drilling.

The 6,570 ton heavy jackup rig spent 45 days on the voyage which was commanded by tugs from the Northern Shipping Company. Instrumental in the operation was Chinese heavy load vessel Hia Yang She You 278, News29 reports.

The rig was first transported to Sabetta, the new Arctic port on the northeastern tip of Yamal Peninsula, and from there towed to the port of Yamburg on the eastern bank of the Ob Gulf.

The «Amazon» will reportedly spend the winter in Yamburg and next year engage in drilling in the area.

Data from MarineTraffic shows that the Yang She You 278 now is in the Kola Bay on its way back from the operation.

According to PortNews, the «Amazon» is next year to drill a well in accordance with Gazprom’s development program.

It is not clear exactly which well will be drilled. But it could be the Kamennomysskoye-More, a structure located nearby in the Gulf of Ob. The field is located on very shallow waters and holds more than 550 billion cubic meters of natural gas.

Gazprom has an ambitious development program for the area. Drilling is conducted on the onshore Tambey and Kruzenshternsky license areas, as well as the offhore Leningradskoye.