"Oil Resource" LLC has signed an agreement with the Competence Center for Technological Development of the Fuel and Energy Complex under the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the field of preparation and conduct of industrial pilot tests (PTs) of multifluid thermal technology (MTT).

The agreement is aimed at forming an industry-specific regulatory and methodological framework for the implementation of the MTT technology and the integrated oilfield service "MTT Fleet". As part of the joint work, the parties plan to develop and approve industry-specific technical requirements for equipment, test methods as well as expert and methodological support for the PTs.

Pilot tests are a key stage in preparing a new technology for industrial implementation. Their task is to confirm the operability of the equipment in real operating conditions, determine the optimal operating modes of the complex and form an evidence base for further application of the technology at the facilities of oil producing companies.

Today, the results of tests conducted according to the internal standards of one company cannot always be used by other market participants. This leads to the need for repeated testing and increases the time frame for the introduction of new technologies. Therefore, one of the tasks of the project will be to develop and coordinate common industry requirements and test methods that will ensure comparability of results and create the basis for further scaling of the technology.

"For a new technology to become an industry standard, it's not enough to simply confirm its functionality. It is important that the test results are understood and recognized by the entire industry. That is why the creation of uniform requirements and methods for evaluating new technological solutions is of particular importance today. This approach makes it possible to shorten the path from testing to industrial implementation of the technology," said Konstantin Frolov, Project Director of the Competence Center for Technological Development of the Fuel and Energy Complex under the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation.

"It is important for us not only to confirm the technology's operability in real production conditions but also to ensure a transparent and understandable procedure for evaluating the results for the industry. Joint work with the Competence Center will allow us to form a unified approach to testing and create the basis for further implementation of the technology at the facilities of oil producing companies," stated Semyon Garagul, Director General of "Oil Resource" LLC.

Pilot tests of the MTT are planned to be conducted at the Lugovskoye field in the Saratov region. The first phase of testing, scheduled for August 2026, is aimed at confirming the correctness of the technical parameters of the MTT complex, the operability of surface and downhole equipment, the possibility of delivering heat medium to the target layer as well as determining the optimal operating modes of the complex in real production conditions.

The tests are planned to be carried out in an industry format with the involvement of representatives of key Russian oil producing companies including organizations that are already using or considering the use of thermal methods to enhance oil recovery. Industry representatives will participate in the coordination of test methods and the evaluation of the results.

Based on the results of the PTs, the results are planned to be presented at relevant expert platforms of the oil and gas industry including the Scientific and Technical Council on Scientific and Technological Development of the Fuel and Energy Complex under the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, to discuss prospects for further industrial implementation of the technology.

The current terms of reference under the agreement are designed for 2026-2027 and include four stages of work: the development of industry-specific technical requirements and test methods, support for pilot tests, assessment of the potential for industrial technology implementation and preparation of proposals for the further development of the "MTT Fleet" oilfield services. The agreement itself was concluded as part of long-term cooperation between the parties until 2030.

The MTT technology is being developed by the "Oil Resource" Scientific and Technological Center (STC) to increase the efficiency of developing hard-to-recover oil reserves. Currently, the company has completed the manufacture of the main technological equipment and is preparing for pilot tests.