We shall not rest on the laurels!

- On this day, festive and important for us, I would like to express special gratitude to our veterans-pioneers, those who started to develop Varioganskoye oilfield in 1974. Many things happened during more than thirty years: engineering infrastructure of Varioganskoye oilfield has  broadened, technologies of hydrocarbon exploration and production have changed, new methods of intensification are applied. But the mighty potential, traditions and  eagerness remain unchanged. My best wishes to you and your families!
The team of the company is still grieving at the  unexpected death of Leonid Grigorievich Zakharov, the first general director of “Varioganneft”. His contribution into production of the 200 000 000th ton of oil is priceless, this man has always been and still remains an integrate part of our team. The assembly hold a moment of silence to reverence the legendary director.
To have a more detailed conversation about the present and the future of “Varioganneft”  we met with Yuri Nikolayevich Tanin  a bit earlier.

Yuri Nikolayevich, you had to take control over the joint sock company  on expedite basis. What was most difficult at the moment?

- To get through the psychological  aspect of it: we lost a real professional, who meant a lot for the company, for the employees. We had been close friends for many years and it is not easy to realize a loss of such a size. Having received the sad news we, nevertheless, went on working, tried to keep quiet and maintain working atmosphere to meet the obligations we’d undertaken. Our team is  really strong, with its old traditions. One can achieve great success with such a team.

Let us speak about fulfillment of production program of the Company/ What results could you sum up at the present moment?

- We are successfully implementing the program of horizontal drilling of the wells at Zapadno-Variogansky area. At the present moment two wells are drilled, and one of them (No 15911) is put into exploitation with the flow rate of 1 012 tons of water-free oil daily. On the whole the team face the following task: to produce about 2.5 million tons of oil.  We have still more ambitious plans for the future: 2.8 million tons, this target figure is included in the business-plan of “Varioganneft” for the next year. All the oilfields are very promising, including Varioganskoye. In spite of the fact that this license area is on the fourth stage of development, we still have enough reserves here. Besides, in the near future we are planning to drill exploration wells at Tagrinskoye, Valiuninskoye and, of course, Varioganskoye oilfields.
Besides implementation of the drilling program we effected such geological and engineering works as reservoir hydrofracturing, return to other formations, complicated cement-squeeze jobs. And we have already got positive results: daily production for the eight months have been built up by 1000 tons. The main increment took place at Zapadno-Varioganskoye and  Tagrinskoye oilfields. Some time later, I am sure, we shall see more substantial results at Varioganskoye too.

The geologist were set a task: to recover problematic reserves, to complete drilling at the objects, to go on with the development system. What tasks does OAO NK “RussNeft” set before the company?

-  To build up oil production and for this purpose we have all the necessary resources  with financial and logistics support, which we, unfortunately, lacked in the two previous years.  The crisis is over and now the main focus is to complete production tasks. We are not going to rest on the laurels!

The structure of varioganneft” has undergone substantial changes and as the result of then two Oil and gas production departments were set up. What was the purpose of it?

- OGPD No 1 is servicing Variogan oilfield, its operating stock counts more than 700 wells. OGPD No 2 is servicing Tagrinskoye and Zapadno-Varioganskoye. The purpose of its reorganization is to bring the center of making urgent decision

Do you improve labor conditions of the workers at distant oilfields?

- At present we are implementiong a complex program of maintenance and reconstruction of social facilities at the oilfields. “Varioganneft” has already assigned more than 30 million rubles for these projects. Construction and reconstruction of  facilities is being done at the two OGPD of “Varioganneft” simultaneously. Mounting of the canteen at the Variogan oilfield  is going on. The new facility will house 40 seats and is meant for replacing the old one completely. The canteen at Tagrinskpoye oilfield was put into exploitation earlier.        
We are working over improving of labor conditions of OGPD No 2 (Tagrinskoye, Zapadno-Varioganskoye) too. We are completing construction of team centers each housing dining-rooms, shower booths, changing rooms, rooms for drying working-wear, all of them meet fire security and labor security requirements.
Construction and reconstruction of social facilities is carried out with the use of up-to-date equipment (Block-modules) and ecologically safe materials.

What are the main aspects of social policy of “Varioganneft”?

- Annually, the expenditures for the social package of the Company amount to about 40 million rubles. Within the frames of this activity the company assigns money for children’s vacations, cultural and sportive mass events, renders financial support to its employees (for vacations, for jubilees, for surgical operations, monthly maternal benefits, burial of family members, retirement etc.)
One of the priorities of our complex social development program is voluntary medical insurance of the Company’s employees, which includes sanatorium treatment and health preservation of our workers. During the first half of this year the costs of “Varioganneft” for this purpose amounted to 12.2 million rubles.
Besides, “Varioganneft” assigns substantial means for implementation of the program of young specialist support: single benefits (relocation allowances),  rent subsidies. I would also like to point out that in March 2010 the Company adopted a new collective agreement for three years (up to 2013). There were no substantial changes in the wording of the document. We preserved the package of social benefits.
How is the program of charity and sponsorship of “Varioganneft” implemented?
During many years “Varioganneft” is assigning substantial funds for charity purposes. Endowments are done  for the city Council of war and labor veterans, Local Orthodox religious organization for construction of Sunday school
“Varioganneft” continues to number among the most important sponsor projects meeting financial obligations under economic agreements with the subjects if the Federation at the territory of which the Company produces hydrocarbons. I’d like to mention that according to the results of 2010 “Varioganneft” and its producing subsidiaries have already completely fulfilled their obligations under the economic agreements signed with the administrative bodies of municipal entities of Nizhnevartovsky and Purovsky Districts: more than 3.6 million rubles were assigned to administrative budgets.
Thus, in Nizhnevartovsky district the money have already been assigned for implementation of the regional long-term target physical culture  and sport development programs and  for educational system. At the territory of Purovsky district the priority will be given to social programs of improvement  of life standards of ingenious minorities of Yamal.
Generally speaking, support of the ingenious ;population of the North is a constant part of production and economic activity of “Varioganneft”. The Company annually spends more than 6.5 million rubles for these purposes.
The money is assigned for payment of compensations (per one member of the family), utilities expenses, The company arranges delivery of fuels and lubricants, supplies tribal families with boat motors and special wear, buys flats, builds apartment houses thus improving the living conditions of the natives.
Besides, each year “Varioganneft” acquires for the heads of communal family lands and their kin vouchers to sanatoriums and resorts of Krasnodar Territory. The work in this direction will be continued.
In his interview Yuri Nikolayevich said many warm words about his colleague who were with him during both hard and happy stages of the making, having underlined the activity of the Trade-Union of the Company which each year initiates traditional creative festivals, sport events. The proof of multi-folded talents of the employees of “Varioganneft” were the festive events dedicated to production of the 200 000 000th ton of oil. The participants of the contest for the best festive wall newspaper decorated the office with their works, illustrating the history of the company, the deeds of pioneers-oilmen, best workers, social workers, sportsmen. There were also verses and songs on the subject: ”You remember how all that  began…”
 In summer 1968 well No 2 gave the first gush of oil. Six years later serious development of Variogan oilfield was begun. In 1976 OGPD “Varioganneft” was set up and it gave birth to the town of Raduzhny. Today both of them are doing the same important work – building up the welfare of the okrug, of the country. The 200 000 000th ton of oil is produced and now the team is setting itself new targets. They will achive what the want, for they can do it.

Working biography of Yuri Nikolayevich Tanin began in 1982 at OGPD “Varioganneft”: where he came as a young specialist after graduation of Grosny Oil Institute. During the last 15 years Yuri Tanin has covered the way from the position of deputy head of technological department of oil and gas production up to the First Deputy Director  - Chief Engineer of “Varioganneft”, a producing subsidiary of OAO NK “RussNeft”. For his great personal contribution in development of Fuel and Energy Complex of the Country the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of the Russian Federation gave him the title of “Honorary Worker of Fuel and Energy Complex”. The Board of Director of OAO NK “RussNeft” of 6.09.2010 appointed Yu.N.Tanin the General Director of OAO “Varioganneft”.