AAPG FOUNDATION PRATT CONFERENCE: PETROLEUM PROVINCES, 21st CENTURY
January 12-15, 2000
San Diego, California

FOSSUM, BRET J., WILLIAM J. SCHMIDT, and DAVID A. JENKINS *, Conoco, Inc., Houston, TX; VLADIMIR I. BOGATSKY, VNIGRI-TPSRC, Ukhta, Russia; and BORIS I. RAPPOPORT, Arkhangelskgeoldobycha, Arkhangelsk, Russia

Abstract: New Frontiers for Hydrocarbon Production in the Timan-Pechora Basin, Russia

The Timan-Pechora Basin, located west of the Ural Mountains in northern Russia, is a prolific oil province covering 300,000 square kilometers. The basin, which has been efficiently explored, is predominantly oil prone but significant accumulations of gas exist.

The mean discovered field size of the basin has diminished considerably since first explored in the 1930s. Onshore, the current exploration potential is small to moderate in terms of potential field reserves size but large in terms of number of untested prospects and leads. Eight of the nine identified plays have been characterized in the plateau phase. The remaining play is in breakthrough phase but the reserves potential is small.

The field development potential of the onshore region is substantial. Overall, 80% or 13 billion barrels of oil reserves remain unproduced. Most of the unproduced oil reserves are found in three carbonate plays of Lower Permian, Upper Devonian Fammenian and Lower Devonian age.

Exploration potential exists in the offshore Pechora Sea, which is an immature exploration region. Four main plays, extensions of proven plays within the onshore portion of the basin, define the offshore exploration potential. The offshore portions of the plays are in active growth or possibly breakthrough phase.

©Copyright 1999.  The American Association of Petroleum Geologists.  All Rights Reserved

FOSSUM, BRET J., WILLIAM J. SCHMIDT, DAVID A. JENKINS, VLADIMIR I. BOGATSKY, and BORIS I. RAPPOPORT