Max Petroleum has announced successful drilling results with appraisal wells in the Eskene North and Uytas fields onshore Kazakhstan.

The ESKN-2 appraisal well in the Eskene North field has reached a depth of 1,523 m (4,997 ft) with electric logs indicating 29 m (95 ft) of net pay over a 173-m (568-ft) gross interval in the Triassic formation at measured depths between 1,222 m (4,009 ft) and 1,395 m (4,577 ft), according to a news release. Reservoir quality is fair with porosities ranging from 15% to 20%. The company is setting production casing in the well and will begin testing ESKN-2 as soon as practicable.

In the Uytas field, the UTS-12 appraisal well successfully reached a total depth of 450 m (1,476 ft), with electric logs indicating 7 m (23 ft) of net oil pay in Cretaceous and Jurassic reservoirs, including 2 m (7 ft) of net oil pay over a 4-m (13-ft) interval ranging in depths from 119 m (390 ft) to 123 m (404 ft) in the Cretaceous Aptian formation, 2 m (7 ft) of net oil pay ranging in depths from 245 m (804 ft) to 247 m (810 ft) in the Lower Cretaceous formation, and 3 m (10 ft) of net oil pay over a 7-m (23-ft) interval ranging in depths from 311 m (1,020 ft) to 318 m (1,043 ft) in the Jurassic section, the release said.

Reservoir quality is excellent. Hydrocarbon shows were not encountered in the shallow Albian section. Max plans to complete the well and place it on test production as soon as practicable.

The company will now drill the UTS-9 well targeting Jurassic reservoirs with a total vertical depth of approximately 550 m (1,804 ft), according to the news release. After UTS-9, an additional five wells remain to be drilled as part of the initial appraisal program in the Uytas field.

After completion of ESKN-2, Max said it will release the Zhanros ZJ-20 rig with the expectation to bring another shallow drilling rig into operation in early 2014 after the company has finished interpreting its newly acquired 3-D seismic survey over East Kyzylzhar I and analysing recent drilling results at Eskene North and Baichonas West.

The company said it will proceed with its ongoing appraisal programs at the Sagiz West and Uytas fields with the two remaining shallow rigs under contract, and does not anticipate the release of the rig to impact its ability to drill up to 35 shallow wells during fiscal year ended March 31, 2014, as currently planned.