ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 2. During a working visit to the United Arab Emirates, Chairman of the Management Board of KazMunayGas (KMG), Askhat Khassenov, met with the CEO of Dragon Oil, Ali Rashid Al-Jarwan, Trend reports.
In the course of the meeting, they discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation, including in the areas of technology exchange, oilfield services, and the implementation of joint projects.
“In 2024, a contract for the provision of drilling services in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea was signed between the subsidiaries – KMG Drilling & Services (KMG DS) and Dragon Oil Turkmenistan Limited. Under this agreement, the first Kazakhstani self-elevating floating drilling (SEFDR) rig “Satti” (owned by KMG DS) will be deployed at the Cheleken field. The rig is currently undergoing technical preparation procedures for towing to Turkmenistan,” KazMunayGas’s press service noted.
Moreover, the Kazakhstani self-elevating floating drilling rig “Satti” is a unique development equipped with advanced technologies for drilling operations in challenging offshore conditions. Following its 2021 upgrade, its lifting capacity increased from 453 to 680 tons. The offshore rig is capable of drilling wells up to 6,000 meters deep.
Overall, this initiative will contribute to expanding Kazakhstan's presence in the global oilfield services market and strengthening economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
“KazMunayGas places great importance on strengthening its partnership with Dragon Oil. We are confident that the joint implementation of the Caspian project involving the Satti rig will yield mutually beneficial results for both parties,” emphasized Khassenov.
KMG Drilling & Services, a subsidiary of KazMunayGas and a leading provider of drilling services in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea, was founded in 2008. It owns Kazakhstan’s first offshore drilling rig (SEFDR) Satti.
Dragon Oil Turkmenistan Ltd, a subsidiary of Dragon Oil (UAE), is engaged in hydrocarbon exploration and production at the Cheleken site in the Caspian Sea. The company is owned by the Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC).
