The 3D surveys are carried out by geophysical services provider CGGVeritas and will be completed in November this year, it said.
This is Lukoil’s first upstream project in a European Union country, the statement noted.
The East Rapsodia and Trident projects in the Black Sea platform are developed by a consortium made by Lukoil Overseas and Vanco International. The latter holds a 20% interest in the project.
The two blocks are located in the Black Sea where water depths range from 90 to 1,000 meters, and the combined area of the license blocks is about 2,000 square kilometers, Lukoil said.
Last year, the Russian company said it would invest around $400 million in hydrocarbon prospecting at the two Black Sea blocks, with another $1.5 billion available for further works if discoveries are made.