Max Petroleum Plc announced in a press release positive drilling results at Uytas and the spudding of appraisal wells at the Eskene North and Uytas fields in Kazakhstan.

In the Uytas field the UTS-15 appraisal well successfully reached a total depth of 200 m (656 ft). Electric logs indicated 4 m (13 ft) of net oil pay in Cretaceous reservoirs over a 52-m (171-ft) interval ranging in depth from 103 m to 155 m (338 ft to 509 ft), in line with expectations, according to the press release. Reservoir quality is excellent. Hydrocarbon shows were not encountered in the shallow Albian section. The company plans to complete the well and place it on test production as soon as is practicable.

At Uytas, the company also has commenced drilling the UTS-12 appraisal well, according to the press release. The well will be drilled to a total vertical depth of approximately 450 m (1,476 ft), targeting Cretaceous and Jurassic reservoirs using the mobile truck-mounted rig from Zhanros. After UTS-12, an additional six wells remain to be drilled as part of the initial appraisal program in the field.

The company also has commenced drilling the ESKN-2 appraisal well in the Eskene North field on Block E using the Zhanros ZJ-20 rig, Max said. The well is the first appraisal well at the field and will be drilled to a total vertical depth of approximately 1,400 m (4,593 ft), targeting Traissic reservoirs.