Institute delegation visits Novatek’s research and laboratory center
Vice-Rector for Earth Sciences Danis Nurgaliev and his colleagues arrived in Tyumen to get acquainted with the company’s capabilities.
The company explores, produces, processes, and markets natural gas and liquid hydrocarbons. The research center, which occupies 13,500 square meters, boasts facilities unique to Russia. It includes not only laboratories but also a core storage facility and laboratory sample warehouse.
In January 2026, Vadim Yakovlev, First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Novatek; Vladimir Kudrin, Director of Geology; and Vladimir Solovyov, General Director of Novatek Scientific and Technical Center, visited Kazan University. They met with Rector Lenar Safin. “They also visited the university’s laboratories and learned about the scientists’ projects. We then received an invitation from them to come to Tyumen,” explained Dr Nurgaliev.
The Vice-Rector noted that the delegation’s program included a visit to the laboratory research center, a meeting between representatives of the company and the university’s management, and separate sessions in three areas of cooperation.
Representing the university at the meeting were Danis Nurgaliev; Mikhail Varfolomeev, Director of the Small-Tonnage Chemical Technology Park and Head of the Department of Petroleum Engineering; and Vladislav Sudakov, Deputy Director of Marketing at the Gazpromneft-KFU Center. Representatives of two Tatarstan companies: Timur Gimadiev, General Director of KemProfet, and Artur Trushin, Deputy General Director of Idel-Polikhim, also participated in the meeting.
“During the meeting, we introduced the participants to projects from several KFU institutes – the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies, the Institute of Physics, the Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics, and others. We found many areas of common ground with Novatek, ranging from geology to the transportation and storage of products such as gas, gas condensate, and oil,” said the Vice-Rector. “We explained what research could be conducted for the company in Kazan University’s unique laboratories. Ultimately, we agreed that its experts from various fields would come to KFU on April 9th and 10th to familiarize themselves with the laboratory facilities and research areas.”
According to Dr Nurgaliev, an agreement between KFU and the company is planned to be signed on the sidelines of a major forum in the near future.
“Following the January meeting at KFU, it was decided to develop a plan for our cooperation. To this end, a high-level roadmap was created, according to which we are working now. At the same time, we are developing a more detailed roadmap for our cooperation and exchanging visits,” said Dr Sudakov. “We were given a tour of Novatek’s state-of-the-art laboratory and research center, where we were able to exchange experiences and discuss modern technologies for optimizing the development of gas condensate and oil fields.”
Speaking about the company’s new center, Mikhail Varfolomeev noted that it houses unique laboratories, such as a laboratory of formation fluids and core samples.
“During the meeting, priority areas for cooperation were identified: chemistry for the oil and gas industry; hydrocarbon exploration methods; hydraulic fracturing technologies; and enhanced condensate recovery technologies,” he said. “A separate meeting was held on each of these areas.”
Furthermore, prospects for educational cooperation, including internships for Kazan Federal University students at the company, were discussed with Novatek representatives. Ildus Chukmarov, Deputy Director for Continuing Education and Industrial Partnerships, discussed continuing education issues during a video call.
