Kazakhstan’s onshore oil reserves of 15.7 Bbbl are evenly matched with its offshore reserves of 15.5 Bbbl.

However, with more than 13 Bbbl of the offshore oil trapped in the huge but troubled Kashagan field in the Caspian Sea, the focus of most drilling is on onshore plays. With progress at Kashagan being beset by troubles, it is easy to see why smaller players stick to dry land.

Drilling Hits Max

Kazakhstan has many wells being drilled ahead in its onshore plays at present, with UK-based Max Petroleum leading the way.

Max has enjoyed success with a development well at its Zhana Makat field in Kazakhstan’s Block E.

The operator’s Zhanros ZJ-30 rig drilled the ZMA-A21 well to a total vertical depth of 2,825 ft (861 m), and it encountered hydrocarbons in Neocomian and Jurassic sandstone reservoirs in line with expectations. Max Petroleum plans to complete the well and bring it onstream.

Max also hit oil with the UTS-11 appraisal well on the Uytas field in Block A in Kazakhstan.

The UTS-11 well was drilled to a total depth of 1,476ft (450m) and intersected 85 ft (26 m) of net oil pay in Cretaceous and Jurassic reservoirs. The well encountered 36 ft (11 m) of net oil pay in the Cretaceous Aptian section in a 197-ft (60-m) interval with continuous shows at depths ranging from 384 ft (117 m) to 581 ft (177 m).

The drilling rig Zhanros ZJ-20 will now be moved to drill the UTS-10 appraisal well, which is aimed at further delineating Cretaceous and Jurassic reservoirs in the northern portion of the Uytas field.

Max also said that it had secured a third rig from Zhanros Drilling to complete the remaining 10 wells in its 13-well appraisal program on the Uytas field.

Elsewhere in Kazakhstan, Max received promising results from a seismic shoot in Kazakhstan, as its drilling operations also make progress in the country’s Sagiz West, Eskene North, and Baichonas West fields.

On the development side, Max has received government approval to start full field development work on the Borkyldakty field in Kazakhstan. The green light allows Max to fully develop and produce the field and sell 80% of oil output from Borkyldakty on the export market under the terms of its blocks A&E E&P contract.

Max said the Borkyldakty field is currently capable of producing around 200 b/d of oil from two production wells. Drilling of a third development well is planned this month to increase output rates.

Max also plans to add the BOR-4 well to its Borkyldakty field. The well, which spudded earlier this month, was drilled to a total vertical depth of 5,279 ft (1,609 m). BOR-4 encountered around 102 ft (31 m) of net oil pay across four Triassic reservoirs ranging in depths from 4,577 ft (1,395 m) to 5,026 ft (1,532 m).

Max said it would complete the well and bring it onstream as soon as it was practicable.

Tethys Eyes Duo

Sweden’s Tethys Petroleum plans to spud two back-to-back exploration wells in Kazakhstan in September using funds it has received from a recent farm-in deal.

Tethys said the Doto AKD08 and Dexa AKD09 wells would be drilled on the Akkulka block in early September and late September, respectively. Both wells lie near the Doris oil field, which is currently producing 2,600 b/d of oil.

Tethys Petroleum Chief Executive David Robson said the wells were designed to “unlock high potential prospects but represent limited risk due to their proximity to the already producing Doris field.”

Tethys’ Tykhe ZJ30 rig is to demobilize from Tajikistan and spud the Dexa probe at the end of September, reaching final depth of 7,874 ft (2,400 m) in around 45 days.

Roxi Secures BNG Extension

Domestic player Roxi Petroleum has had its BNG license in Kazakhstan extended for an extra two years.

The renewal extends the license until June 6, 2015, during which time Roxi said it planned to undertake “significant exploration activity.”

Roxi’s 2013 drilling campaign will see it drill deep wells in the Aryshagal region of the BNG contract area, with the first well already drilling ahead.

“We then intend to cease exploration activities, switch to a pilot production license prior to a full production licencs expected in the during 2015, which would enable us to sell oil at international prices and generate significant cash flow,” Roxi Chairman Clive Carver said.

Comments