UPDATE: Min: Rosneft asks to prolong drilling on shelf blocks for 2 years

(Adds details, comments in paragraphs 3–6)

MOSCOW, Mar 30 (PRIME) -- Russian oil major Rosneft has asked the government to extend drilling time on some shelf blocks for 18–24 months, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Sergei Donskoi told reporters on Friday.

“(They) did not have the time to drill some wells. In any case their proposals are currently being considered by the Federal Mineral Resources Agency,” he said.

Rosneft and Italian energy giant Eni have not received oil flows during drilling at a block on the Black Sea shelf, Donskoi also said.

“Nevertheless, the company is optimistic about work on this site,” he said.

He also said that Rosneft and British oil and gas giant BP have put on balance hydrocarbon reserves of the Baikalovsky block in the Krasnoyarsk Region.

“Reserves are currently being calculated. They’ve already submitted documents to the State Reserve Committee, and a discovery has been already registered, reserves have been put on balance.”

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