Sakhalin (Russian: Сахалин, pronounced [səxɐˈlʲin]) is a large Russian island in the North Pacific Ocean, lying between 45°50' and 54°24' N. It is Russia's largest island, and is administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast. Sakhalin, which is about one fifth the size of Japan, is just off the east coast of Russia, and just north of Japan.
The indigenous peoples of the island are the Ainu, Oroks and Nivkhs. Sakhalin has been claimed by both Russia and Japan over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries. This has led to bitter disputes between the two countries over control of the island. Russia seized the island from the Japanese near the end of World War II. Most Ainu moved to Hokkaido when the Japanese were displaced from the island in 1949.
The island is known in Russian as Сахалин (Sakhalin). In Chinese, it is known as Kuye (simplified Chinese: 库页; traditional Chinese: 庫頁; pinyin: Kùyè). In Japanese, it is known as Karafuto (樺太) or, borrowing the Russian appellation, as Saharin (サハリン). The spelling Saghalien may be found in historical texts.
The Sakhalin-I (Russian: Сахалин-1) project, a sister project to Sakhalin-II, is a consortium to locate and produce oil and gas on Sakhalin Island and immediately offshore, in the Okhotsk Sea, from three fields: Chayvo, Odoptu, and Arkutun-Dagi.
In 1996, the consortium completed a production-sharing agreement between the Sakhalin-I consortium, the Russian Federation, and the Sakhalin government. The consortium is managed and operated by Exxon Neftegas Limited (ENL).
Since 2003, when the first Sakhalin-1 well was drilled, six of the world's 10 record-setting extended reach drilling wells have been drilled at the fields of the project, using the Yastreb rig. It has set multiple industry records for depth, rate of penetration and directional drilling. On 27 August 2012, Exxon Neftegas Ltd beat its previous record by completing Z-44 Chayvo well. This ERD well reached a measured total depth of 12,376 meters (40,604 ft), making it the longest well in the world.
The Sakhalin-3 (Russian: Сахалин-3) project is an oil and gas development in Sakhalin Island, Russia. It includes four blocks (East-Odoptu, Ayashsky, Veninsky and Kirinsky) containing 5.1 billion barrels (810×10 6 m3) of crude oil and 46 trillion cubic feet (1.3×10 12 m3) of natural gas.
The Veninsky field is being developed by Venineft, a joint venture of Rosneft (74.9%) and Sinopec (25.1%). It has oil reserves of 1.2 billion barrels (190×10 6 m3) and 9.1 trillion cubic feet (260×10 9 m3) of natural gas.
Kirinsky gas and condensate field is being developed by Gazprom Dobycha Shelf, a subsidiary of Gazprom. Kirinsky field is located 28 kilometres (17 mi) offshore Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk in water depths of approximately 90 metres (300 ft). It has gas reserves about 3.6 trillion cubic feet (100×10 9 m3). The field is expected to be commissioned in 2014. In addition, Gazprom owns the East-Odoptu and Ayashsky licences.
Chevron Corporation, ExxonMobil, and Rosneft got the licence to operate Sakhalin-3 under a production sharing agreement granted in 1993. The licence was revoked and re-tendered in 2005 under a normal tax regime.