Head of the Russian state university for oil and gas, Anatoly Zolotukhin, underlines the importance of a joint development plan for the former disputed areas of the Barents Sea. In April this year a delineation agreement for the disputed areas was signed in Oslo, ending a 40 year long border dispute between Norway and Russia.
Zolotukhin believes the initial work can be started already next year if both countries agree.
- In order to get better use of reservoirs which could be divided between two countries or tied up in different licenses between different oil companies, it is better to have a common plan for exploring and developing this area, says Zolotukhin to Offshore.no.
He presented his view during the Norwegian Oil conference ONS in Stavanger last week. Zolotukhin believes that this can be done field by field, by dividing the ownership according to field extension on each side of the border line.
With efficient mapping and seismic shooting, the resource estimates could be finished by 2012, and the work with a joint management plan for the area could begin soon after.
