vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #165 / Business / Reading article...

Drilling costs to top $200 million this year

The Sakhalin-1 oil consortium will spend almost $200 million this year on drilling and construction, said Victor Gorokhov, a spokesman for Zarubezhneft. This year, two more bore holes will be drilled at the Arkutun-Daginskoye deposit. And test runs will be completed at bore holes No. 7 and 8, drilled last year. The work will allow a more accurate assessment of the oil stock in the most promising part of the deposit, and allow oil companies to choose a site to install the first production platform.

Cultural landmarks found in pipeline’s path

Archeologists found 284 historical and cultural landmarks in several areas where the Trans-Sakhalin Gas Pipeline should run for the Sakhalin-2 project, officials reported. The Sakhalin pipeline will have to bypass both ancient indigenous settlements dating back 20,000 years, and recent historical landmarks, including an old Orthodox cemetery near Dudino village.

Fishing company breeds endangered sturgeons

The Sakhalin-based fish-breeding company Salmo reported that it bred 74 endangered Sakhalin green sturgeons. Tatiana Lyubayeva, the head of Sakhalin Committee for Water and Fisheries said Salmo brought the roe of the fish from southern Khabarovsky Krai in 1991 for the breeding experiment. The 74 fish are a mature stock that will spawn soon.

Central Kuril area may contain natural gas

Sakhalin geophysicists say the central Kuril Islands area may contain fossil fuels. A group of researchers have done a seismic reconnaissance in the area and are preparing to issue a report on the job. The deposit may have more natural gas than oil, but its stocks are not equal to those of the Sakhalin shelf. Appraisal works are just at an initial stage.

Transaero to launch more flights to Sakhalin

Transaero will launch non-stop daily flights between Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Moscow this summer, company officials reported. Transaero spokesman Leonid Kligerman also said Transaero is now the second largest airline in the country in ticket sales and passenger traffic. He added that the company plans to attract even more passengers in the new year by buying more Boeing 737-700s, increasing its air fleet to 20 liners, and by increasing the number of flights, the company reported.

Study calls for gas pipeline

Sakhalin Gov. Igor Farkhutdinov approved a feasibility study for Mongi-Lermontovka gas pipeline recently, the oblast administration reported. The pipeline is the first phase of Sakhalin Oblast gasification and will carry 500 million cubic meters of gas per year -- 400 million will go to the Sakhalin Power Plant and the rest for other consumers along the line. The pipe will be 376 kilometers long and will take 31,460 tons of metal and $166 million to be constructed. Investors will break even in six years and commercial credits are payable in eight years, the Sakhalin Oil and Gas Research and Design Institute reported.

Administration sets heat limits

The Sakhalin administration set heat and electricity limits for oblast-funded offices recently, officials reported. The limits will apply for 1998 and consumption reports are to be submitted quarterly. If the budget falls short to cover the expenses the administration will either find additional funds or cut down the allowed consumption. The measure is meant to save budget money.

Governor says pay benefits

Gov. Igor Farkhutdinov told chief executives of counties and cities to assign 10 percent of their revenues and subsidies for the payment of both back and current children's benefits this month, officials reported. The benefits, due to all parents of children under 18, totaled 170 million rubles ($28 million) as of March 1, the oblast administration reported.