During a visit to Vietsovpetro on April 24, Mr Trong praised the JV enterprise for its remarkable achievements over the past 30 years, saying the enterprise has helped build a solid foundation for Vietnam’s oil and gas sector.

So far Vietsovpetro has pumped up more than 185 million tonnes of oil and brought ashore 21.5 billion cubic metres of gas. One fifth of the national budget every year comes from the enterprise’s contributions.

More importantly, the enterprise has built modern technical structures on shore and at sea, trained skilled engineers, and developed markets at home and overseas.

These are important prerequisites for Vietnam to develop its future oil and gas sector, said Mr Trong. 

He thanked the former Soviet Union and now Russia for their assistance to Vietnam, saying Vietnamese people always bear in their hearts and minds the heartfelt support and valuable assistance from the Russian people, especially in the oil and gas sector.

He expressed his hope that Vietsovpetro will continue to reap more success in its operations and make a significant contribution to Vietnam’s national industrialisation and modernisation.

Vietsovpetrol general director Nguyen Huu Tuyen said his company will soon put newly-drilled oilfields into operation, speed up exploration for oil on the national continental shelf and expand its work abroad.