On April 21, 2025, senior leaders from Zarubezhneft EP Vietnam (ZNEP) and PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP) conducted a field visit to the Rong Doi Platform, Block 11-2 Project.

The delegation from ZNEP (operator of Block 11-2) included Mr. Alexander Mikhaylov, General Director and Chairman of the Block 11-2 Management Committee; Mr. Viacheslav Bondarenko, Deputy General Director in charge of production; Mr. Gennadii Fedorchenko, Deputy General Director in charge of geology and development, along with other members. PVEP's delegation included Mr. Dang Ngoc Quy, Vice President in charge of Block 11-2; Mr. Pham Ngoc Hien, PVEP’s member of the Block 11-2 Management Committee; and general managers of PVEP's engineering and production departments.

Rong Doi field

Block 11-2 is located in the western Nam Con Son Basin, offshore Vietnam, approximately 320 kilometers southeast of Vung Tau City, covering an area of 691 square kilometers at a water depth of 85 to 90 meters. The Block 11-2 Production Sharing Contract was signed on May 19, 1992, and remains in effect until 2034, with Zarubezhneft EP Vietnam (75%, operator) and PVEP (25%, representing PetroVietnam) as participants. Currently, the Block is producing from the Rong Doi – Rong Doi Tay (RD-RDT) cluster in the Early/Middle Miocene Dua and Thong formations, alongside discoveries such as Rong Vi Dai and prospects like Rong Doi Moi and Rong Vi Dai Dong. Total production from RD-RDT fields from first gas to December 2024 was 612.32 billion cubic feet of gas and 16.89 million barrels of condensate, with 2024 production at 11.96 billion cubic feet of gas and 0.29 million barrels of condensate.

Delegation with the engineers on the Rong Doi platform

Production from existing fields RD – RDT has declined faster than anticipated in the development plan, leading to penalties for failure to meet gas delivery commitments under commercial agreements. In response, the Block 11-2 operator and PVEP are exploring technical, economic, and commercial solutions to mitigate economic impacts. Measures include exploratory/appraisal drilling to increase output and optimizing operational costs by sharing system capacity with Block 12/11.

"In 2025, besides maintaining stable and safe operations at the producing fields Rong Doi and Rong Doi Tay, we plan to implement key activities, including RD-7P well work-over to be scheduled between May and July, drilling exploratory well RDM-1X in Q4 2025, and undertaking brownfield modifications for facilitating the connection of Block 12/11 with Block 11-2," shared Mr. Dang Ngoc Quy, PVEP Vice President. "These plans represent the result of extensive research, preparation, and efforts to gain approvals from competent authorities, reflecting our commitment to enhancing the project’s economic efficiency."

According to Mr. Dang Ngoc Quy, "The purpose of the field visit to Rong Doi Platform was to oversee operational activities at Block 11-2 and to review preparations for upcoming tasks, particularly Block 12/11 brownfield modification work and RDM-1X well drilling. These are crucial components of the work program and budget for 2025 and beyond, as agreed upon by all participants and the host country."

ZNEP leaders inspect the technical infrasstructure on the Rong Doi platform

Zarubezhneft is a Russian state-owned petroleum company engaged in exploration and production activities in Russia and several other countries, including Cuba, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Egypt, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. In Vietnam, Zarubezhneft is involved in major petroleum contracts such as Block 09-2/09, Block 09-1 (Vietsovpetro), Block 04-3, while also preparing to develop Thien Nga – Hai Au fields within Block 12/11. In 2024, Zarubezhneft officially assumed operatorship of Block 11-2 (with 75% participating interest) from the South Korean consortium (KNOC) and plays a key role in developing and connecting Blocks 11-2 and 12/11 through a framework agreement for cost optimization and resource utilization.

PVEP