Gazpromneft NTC

Gazpromneft NTC (Scientific and Technical Center of Gazprom Neft) is the dedicated research, engineering and technology arm of PJSC Gazprom Neft, one of Russia's largest oil and gas companies. Formed on 15 November 2007 out of the scientific-analytical department of Gazprom Neft, the center began full-scale operations in spring 2008. It is headquartered in Saint Petersburg with a second office in Tyumen, and employs roughly 1,000 people, including professors, doctors of science and candidates of science. The NTC's mandate spans the entire upstream technology chain: planning and support of geological exploration, technical-economic evaluation of assets, integrated field development concepts, scientific and technical support for drilling and well operations, oil and gas production techniques, engineering standards, digital solutions, and the organization of R&D. It also maintains the corporate geological and production information database and manages reservoir extraction processes. A distinctive feature of the center is the GeoNavigator Drilling Control Center, established in 2012. From Saint Petersburg, GeoNavigator remotely manages drilling of all complex high-technology wells in Russia and abroad, operating 24/7, 365 days a year. Such wells account for around 60% of Gazprom Neft's annual drilling volume. GeoNavigator is described as the only center in the Russian oil and gas industry capable of simultaneous geological, engineering and technological support for high-technology well construction. Under Gazprom Neft's digital strategy ERA, NTC staff develop IT solutions to optimize production processes. More than 30 digital products have been created, including ERA:ISKRA and ERA:OptimA. The NTC, as part of a Russian consortium, developed the country's first domestic program capable of modeling hydraulic fracturing (frac) crack formation to increase oil recovery. The center also runs a Knowledge Dissemination System that accumulates the company's practical and scientific experience, and a Professional Growth Center (formerly the Center of Expertise, created in 2010) offering around 200 specialized training programs in geology, geophysics, field development and oil production technologies. Since 2013, NTC has commissioned the translation and publication of professional oil and gas literature into Russian. It collaborates with more than 25 universities and scientific partners, including MIPT, Moscow State University, Saint Petersburg State University, Polytechnic, Skoltech, Innopraktika, TPU and Tyumen State University, implementing over 100 research projects. Leadership has included Mars Magnavievich Khasanov, general director from 2011 to 2019, and Alexey Vashkevich, who became general director in 2019. The NTC is a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft and is not separately listed.

Gazpromneft NTC was established on 15 November 2007 through the transformation of the scientific-analytical department of PJSC Gazprom Neft. Full-scale operations began in spring 2008. The center was created to consolidate the company's scientific, engineering and technological expertise into a single entity capable of supporting the entire upstream cycle. In 2010, the Center of Expertise was created within NTC. Its purpose was to improve professional competency development programs for employees of Gazprom Neft subsidiaries and the corporate center, conduct expert reviews of new methods, technologies and equipment, and increase business efficiency. In 2015, the Center of Expertise was transformed into the Professional Growth Center (CPR). The CPR curriculum includes around 200 specialized programs on current issues in geology, geophysics, field development and oil production technologies. Its teaching staff consists mainly of NTC experts from various disciplines, including 4 doctors of science and 26 candidates of science. In 2012, the GeoNavigator Drilling Control Center (TSUB) began operating on the basis of NTC. From Saint Petersburg, using modern technologies and equipment, the company remotely manages drilling of all complex high-technology wells in Russia and abroad. Today such wells account for about 60% of Gazprom Neft's annual drilling volume. The center operates around the clock, 365 days a year. GeoNavigator is described as the only center in the Russian oil and gas industry capable of providing simultaneous geological, engineering and technological support for the construction of high-technology wells. From 2011 to 2019, the general director of NTC was Mars Magnavievich Khasanov, doctor of technical sciences, professor, honorary academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Bashkortostan, and director for science at Gazprom Neft. In 2019, Alexey Vashkevich, director of the technological development directorate at Gazprom Neft, became general director of NTC. NTC is the developer of Gazprom Neft's Technological Strategy and is responsible for implementing its projects. Its main activities include planning and support of geological exploration; technical-economic evaluation of assets; creation of integrated concepts for field development and surface facilities; scientific and technical support for drilling and downhole operations; oil and gas production techniques and technologies; development of engineering methods and standards; digital solutions for engineering; organization of research and development (R&D); and collection, updating and dissemination of knowledge and experience. NTC is responsible for creating and maintaining the corporate geological and production information database and managing the process of oil extraction from reservoirs using permanent geological-technological monitoring. NTC conducts comprehensive assessments of various oil and gas regions, identifying the most promising areas for further licensing and development. Employees create digital regional models of oil and gas basins and geological structures, such as the Achimov Formation. Under Gazprom Neft's digital strategy ERA, NTC staff develop IT solutions to optimize production processes. More than 30 digital products are ready, including ERA:ISKRA and ERA:OptimA. NTC, as part of a Russian consortium, developed the first domestic program capable of modeling hydraulic fracturing (frac) crack formation to increase oil recovery. One important project remains the development of the Knowledge Dissemination System, which accumulates all practical and scientific experience gained in the company, and the Professional Growth Center, where employees continuously improve their qualifications to master new technologies. Since 2013, on the order of NTC, professional oil and gas literature has been translated and published. These are unique books written by recognized world industry experts and translated into Russian for the first time with NTC's support. The company's innovation belt includes more than 25 universities and scientific partners, including MIPT, Moscow State University, Saint Petersburg State University, Polytechnic, Skoltech, Innopraktika, TPU, Tyumen State University and many others. NTC implements more than 100 research projects on the basis of various academic centers. The staff of NTC numbers about 1,000 people, including 5 professors, 5 doctors of science and 75 candidates of science. NTC offices are located in Saint Petersburg and Tyumen.

• 2019

  Alexey Vashkevich becomes General Director.

• 2015

  Center of Expertise transformed into the Professional Growth Center (CPR).

• 2013

  NTC begins commissioning translation and publication of professional oil and gas literature.

• 2012

  GeoNavigator Drilling Control Center begins operation.

• 2011

  Mars Magnavievich Khasanov becomes General Director (serves until 2019).

• 2010

  Center of Expertise created within NTC.

• 2008

  Full-scale operations begin in spring.

• 2007

  Gazpromneft NTC established on 15 November through transformation of Gazprom Neft's scientific-analytical department.

The in-house scientific and technical center of Gazprom Neft, combining the functions of a technology center, research institute and corporate university to shorten the path from research to industrial technology.

• ERA:ISKRA

  Digital product developed under Gazprom Neft's ERA digital strategy.

• ERA:OptimA

  Digital product developed under Gazprom Neft's ERA digital strategy.

• Hydraulic fracturing simulation software

  First domestic program capable of modeling hydraulic fracturing crack formation, developed as part of a Russian consortium.

1. 1Wikidata: Gazpromneft NTCwikidata.org
2. 2Газпромнефть НТЦ — Википедияru.wikipedia.org