SAKHALIN-1 BRINGS NEW MEDICAL CAPABILITIES TO OKHA
Okha (Sakhalin Oblast), May 29, 2007 -- Exxon Neftegas Limited (ENL), the operator for the Sakhalin-1 Consortium developing the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project, and the Consortium members announced in a ceremony held today in Okha that they had invested significant funds for needed improvements at the local hospital, including medical treatment and diagnostic equipment. These major improvements will allow the clinic to significantly enhance the quality of medical services available to residents of Okha, as well as supporting the Sakhalin-1 project's nearby production and construction sites.The up-to-date medical equipment provided to the hospital will broaden the capabilities of the clinic's surgeons and trauma specialists. It includes new displayed defibrillators, full surgery set and traumatology surgery kit, hematological analyzer and refrigerator for storing blood and biological products. The equipment also includes the modern urological unit. The Sakhalain-1 Consortium has also financed the training programs for the hospital staff.
At the ceremony held in Okha today, James Taylor, Executive Vice President of ENL, noted that ENL had chosen to upgrade the hospital's capabilities and share the improvements with the community rather than build a separate medical facility for the project health care needs. "For the Sakhalin-1 Consortium, the requirement for safety is an overriding priority and we are committed to ensuring the safety of our personnel, our neighbors in the community, and the environment. The improvements to the Okha hospital are an excellent example of how the local community benefits from our nearby operations as we work to supply energy to the world," said Mr. Taylor. He also noted that Sakhalin-1 has reached its targeted peak production rate of 250,000 barrels (34,000 metric tons) of oil per day.
The Sakhalin-1 Consortium develops the Chayvo, Odoptu, and Arkutun-Dagi field blocks, whose potential recoverable reserves are approximately 307 million tons of oil (2.3 billion barrels) and 485 billion cubic meters of gas (17 trillion cubic feet). Exxon Neftegas Limited is the operator for the Sakhalin-1 Consortium (ExxonMobil interest 30 percent), which includes affiliates of Rosneft, the Russian state-owned oil company, RN-Astra (8.5 percent), Sakhalinmorneftegas-Shelf (11.5 percent); the Japanese company Sakhalin Oil and Gas Development Co., Ltd. (30 percent); and the Indian state-owned oil company ONGC Videsh Ltd. (20 percent)
For more information on the Sakhalin-1 project please contact Margarita Tsoy (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk - 4242-678812) or visit the Sakhalin-1 website (www.sakhalin1.ru and www.sakhalin1.com).