Russian watchdog checks Exxon Sakhalin-1 PSA project
The Russian Rosprirodnadzor nature protection watchdog began a check of the Sakhalin-1 shelf oil and gas project operated on a production-sharing basis by the US Exxon Neftegaz Ltd, an affiliate of ExxonMobil, Itar-Tass reports.
A 22-men strong commission uniting experts from Moscow, Khabarovsk and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk will spend at least a month checking compliance with nature protection legislation.
Petr Titkov, the head of Rosprirodnadzor branch in the Far East federal district and the head of the commission, said the check will begin with Exxon Neftegaz documents concerning oil and gas production on the Sakhalin shelf and the construction of various objects of the Sakhalin-1 project, which include the Orlan sea platform, the Yastreb onshore production facility, a 225-kilometer oil pipeline and a loading complex in the port of DeKastri in Khabarovsk region. After that the commission will inspect production facilities.
Titkov stressed the inspection was a planned one and had to begin yet in October 2006, but was postponed due to bad climatic conditions.
Sakhalin-1 comprises three oil and gas deposits on the northwestern shelf of the Sakhalin Island with recoverable reserves of 307 million tons of oil and 485 billion cubic meter of gas.
The Sakhalin-1 production-sharing agreement was signed in 1995. Besides, Exxon, participating in the project are the Japanese SODECO Consotrium, the Indian Oil and Gas Corporation, and the Russian Rosneft Oil Company.
