MINSK, 6 September (BelTA) – Serious progress is expected in oil extraction in Belarus. In particular, geological exploration work to find oil and natural gas is in progress in southern parts of Gomel Oblast. Oil extraction may be organized there in the future. Director General of the industrial group Belorusneft Aleksandr Lyakhov made the statement after delivering a report to Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 6 September, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lyakhov said: “Serious progress is expected in oil extraction in Belarus. It is a result of large-scale geological exploration work and the application of new oil industry technologies. For the last few years oil extraction in Belarus has been rising by 20,000 tonnes per annum. This year's oil extraction is expected to reach at least 1.730 million tonnes.”
The official said that Belorusneft will be focused on further increasing oil extraction in the country in the near future. The matter had been discussed with the head of state. In particular, the conversation touched upon the possibility of oil extraction in southern parts of Gomel Oblast where no geological exploration work to find oil and natural gas has been done after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The Belorusneft director general said: “We've resumed this work this year. At present we are working in Lelchitsy District and Yelsk District in Gomel Oblast. Next year we intend to do seismic exploration work in Narovlya District and Khoiniki District. Later on we intend to reactivate the old wells, which were drilled before the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, and drill new wells if geological prospects look good.”
Aleksandr Lyakhov evaluates the possibility of increasing oil extraction in Belarus as quite promising. “We will seriously work towards it and I've reported that to the president of our country,” he remarked.
Aleksandr Lyakhov reminded that oil extraction is already in progress in Khoiniki District. “Seismic exploration operations, which are going on in Lelchitsy District and Yelsk District now, are supposed to ultimately result in the drilling of an exploratory well in early 2023,” he explained. By 2025 the company intends to extract about 150,000 tonnes of oil per year in southern parts of Gomel Oblast.
Asked whether any obstacles stand in the way of this work, Aleksandr Lyakhov said no: “Persistent work is needed. We are ready for this work. We have the relevant capabilities.”
