Exxon Mobil Corp and Rosneft Sign Agreement for Western Siberia Tight Oil Pilot Project

Exxon Mobil Corp and Rosneft signed a Pilot Development Agreement establishing a joint project to assess the possibility of commercial production of tight oil reserves at the Bazhenov and Achimov formations in Western Siberia. The agreement was signed by Igor Sechin, president and chairman of the management board at Rosneft, and Stephen Greenlee, president of ExxonMobil Exploration Company. Rex Tillerson, chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corp, was present for the signing, as well as the senior management of both companies. The document is another step towards implementation of the long-term strategic cooperation agreement the companies signed in August 2011. The companies will set up a joint venture to run a pilot program and potential commercial production with equity interests of 51% for Rosneft and 49% for ExxonMobil. Work will be carried out at Rosneft’s 23 license blocks covering a total area more than 10,000 square kilometers. ExxonMobil will provide financing of up to $300 million for the pilot program, as well as state-of-the-art technologies and specialists in geology, development and well engineering and completion. ExxonMobil will also provide production management services for drilling complex horizontal wells so as to evaluate and commercially develop these tight oil reserves.