Print this pageA. A. Sutter, R. J. Dixon, and A. V. Guryanov
BP Exploration, Chertsey Road, Sunbury - On - Thames, Middlesex, TW16 7LN, UK
ABSTRACT: Kovyktinskoye Gas-Condensate Accumulation, Irkutsk Oblast, East Siberia, Russia
The Kovyktinskoye (Kovykta) Gas-Condensate Field is likely to be among the world’s largest twenty-five gas fields. It is estimated to contain some 35 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas (1 TCM) plus c. 350 million barrels of gas condensate liquids. In the next few years, it will be a major development project requiring both extensive finance and extensive local, regional and inter-governmental co-operation.
The Kovyktinskoye Field is located in the Irkutsk Oblast, East Siberia c. 350 km north of the town of Irkutsk and covers an estimated area of c. 12,000 km2. The field lies in a virtually uninhabited region in the headwaters of the Lena River which deeply dissects the Cambrian plateau of the Angara-Lena Terrace, part of the East Siberian craton, and is situated c. 150 km to the east of the Lake Baikal Rift zone. Conditions are extreme, both climatically and topographically; winter temperatures reach -50 Co and road access is only possible via snow roads in winter when much of the operational activity takes place. Local infrastructure is almost non-existent.
The discovered hydrocarbon resources of the Irkutsk Oblast are entirely located within the Late Pre-Cambrian/ Lower Palaeozoic. A number of field have been discovered though only one, the Bratsk Gas Field, is in regular production. Gas discoveries to date are located in the southern part of the Oblast and are dominated by the Kovyktinskoye Field. Oil discoveries (often with associated gas caps) are located in the North of the Oblast on or around the structural basement high termed the Nepa-Botuobin Arch. The largest of the oil fields, Verkhnechonskoye, has estimated reserves of over 1300 mm bbl. The source rock for all fields are pre-Cambrian marine shales, the reservoirs Pre-Cambrian (Vendian) fluviodeltaic or Cambrian carbonates and the seals are formed by Cambrian evaporites.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90906©2001 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado