Remote Arctic Drilling Operations in Russia, Case History of Ardalin Field Operations, Timan Pechora Basin
Authors: Reyna E.M. , Nicholson S. , Brady S. 
Published: December 2007

In developing the Ardalin field, the Polar Lights Company merged Russian and western expertise to conduct drilling operations in a hostile and ecologically sensitive arctic tundra environment. The field is located above the Arctic Circle in northern Russia (Figure A). The nearest Russian road system is over 60km away and the nearest railhead is 240 km from the field. Three Russian rigs were constructed with selected western upgrades, twelve development wells were drilled, and three existing Russian wells were worked over within a 24 month period.

Operations were supported with a snow road in the winter season and Russian helicopter in the summer season. All materials for one year's worth of drilling had to be transported to the field prior to break-up (end of trucking activities on the snow roads). Services and equipment were sourced from both inside and outside of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Temperatures in winter reached -45 C. The field is located in one of the most ecologically sensitive areas in the world, and numerous precautions were taken for the protection of the environment. Russian operating philosophies were successfully merged with western practices.

This paper will focus on the operational criteria initiated and infrastructure system that evolved to support this project.

Introduction

Polar Lights Company (PLC) was awarded the license to develop Ardalin in January 1992. Design of the pipeline, central facilities and drilling program were imtiated in June 1992 and first oil from the production facilities began in September 1994 (28 months). Civil construction began in January 1993. Three drill sites (A, B, and C pads), three satellite pad sites, a central facilities location, and an internal road system were constructed over the next 18 months. During the Phase I drilling program, twelve development wells were drilled, and three existing reservoir delineation wells were worked over. Drilling activity took place concurrently with ongoing construction of a central production facility, in-field flowlines, production modules for each pad, a 64 km pipeline to the Russian internal transportation system, and a metering / storage facility at the pipeline take point.

One Russian exploratory drilling rig was constructed on each drill site. Construction of Pads A and B were completed in April 1993 using material from a local quarry area. All rig components were moved and placed on the drill site areas by the time ground transportation activity on the tundra was stopped (called Break-up) in May 1993. The rigs were constructed over the next 4-5 months and drilling commenced in September and October respectively. Drill Site C was constructed during the 1993 / 1994 winter season, rig construction activity took place during the summer of 1994 and drilling operations commenced in August 1994. Drilling time to the Devonian objective at 3200m TVD was optimized to 55 days at the end of the program (reduced from a previous Russian average of over 180 days for exploratory wells).

LOCATION

The Ardalin field is located at the 68th parallel, above the Arctic Circle, 130km south of the Barents Sea. The area is composed of an estuarine tundra eco-system. Surface topography of the general area varies by 30m - 50m in places.

Average seasonal temperatures were warmer than Prudhoe Bay by only a few degrees. Winter temperatures fell below -45 C with wind speeds in excess of 50 km per hour. Summer temperatures reached 25 C.

The tundra lies above discontinuous perma-frost. Earthen pads, averaging 3m thickness, were constructed for all drill sites and Satellite pads. Drill sites were designed to accommodate up to 9 wells, and the Satellite locations were single well pads.

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