MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. Domanik Oil AS, the joint venture owned by Russia's Rosneft - 51%, and Norway's Statoil - 49%, started drilling the first well as part of an exploration program to study tight hydrocarbon reserves of Domanik sediments in Russia’s Samara region, Rosneft said in a press release on Tuesday.

"During the pilot phase planned for 2016-2019, Domanik Oil AS intends to drill and test at least three horizontal exploration wells, as well as to conduct advanced studies at the license areas of Samaraneftegaz, Rosneft subsidiary," the report said. The plan is to use the most efficient development technologies, including multistage hydraulic fracturing.

Rosneft and Statoil are "progressing in implementation of previously reached cooperation agreements by joining their experience and competences for development of promising hydrocarbon reserves in Russia," Russian oil major said. Domanik sediments in Volga-Ural oil and gas province are low-permeable cherty limestone sediments classified as hard-to-recover hydrocarbons with large hydrocarbon potential, Rosneft said.

In 2013, Rosneft and Statoil signed an agreement on the basic principles of the project of the joint pilot development of Domanik deposits in 12 license areas of Rosneft in the Samara region. To-date, the parties have conducted a number of geological and geophysical studies of Domanik deposits in the license areas of Samaraneftegaz.