SAKHALIN-1 CONSORTIUM ANNOUNCES LOADING OF THE 100th TANKER IN DE-KASTRI, KHABAROVSK KRAI
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, September 27, 2007 -- The Sakhalin-1 Consortium operated by Exxon Neftegas Limited (ENL), a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, announced today loading of the 100th tanker with crude oil at the DeKastri export terminal in Khabarovsk Krai. The first tanker was loaded one year ago in September 2006. Since then, on average every three-four days tankers have been departing with the Sakhalin-1 crude oil, Sokol, delivering the oil to global markets. Each tanker carries up to 720,000 barrels (100,000 tons) of crude."Exxon Neftegas Limited, through the operatorship of the Sakhalin-1 Project, is proud that our safe and environmentally sound crude export operations provide additional needed energy supplies to the international markets," said James Taylor, ENL Executive Vice President.
To ensure safe export of crude in the severe winter conditions of the Tatar Strait, ENL has worked closely with leading Russian and international experts on tanker design, ice forecasting and tanker ice escort procedures. The dedicated fleet of double-hulled Aframax class tankers is made of cold weather steel to protect against fractures.
To load the crude on tankers, a single-point-mooring facility (SPM) is used. The oil is transferred from the terminal via a subsea loading line to the column-mounted facility, located east of the Klykov Peninsula in the Chikhacheva Bay. The SPM concept is based on ExxonMobil proven North Sea systems and provides for emergency shutdown and release of the tankers in the event of deteriorating weather or ice conditions. This system is recognized as the safest, most environmentally sound and cost effective method of tanker loading in this environment.
Information for Editors: 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 further information, please contact Margarita Tsoy, Exxon Neftegas Limited Public and Government Affairs Manager in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk at (4242) 677-000. See also our website at www.sakhalin-1.com.