Russia's oil company discovers new oil field on shelf

MOSCOW, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia's oil giant Rosneft said Sunday it had discovered a new oil field near the Laptev Sea, which could be the biggest on the shelf.

Rosneft said in a statement that it had discovered new hydrocarbon deposits when drilling an exploration well from the shore of the Khara-Tumus Peninsula on the shelf of the Khatanga Bay of the Laptev Sea, marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Russia's Siberia.

"On the basis of primary studies, it can be concluded that a new oil field has been discovered, and the volume of potential resource is increasing as the drilling continues. Core sampling continues at the moment," the statement read.

Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoi congratulated Rosneft on the discovery, which he said might set a new record.

"We can already speak about a considerable inflow of oil and thus, about an unique discovery of the largest oil field possible on the shelf," Donskoi wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday.

More big discoveries can be expected this year in the Khatanga Bay, the minister added.