Kazakhstan, Astana, Dec. 27 / Trend K. Konyrova /
North Caspian Project
The participants at the PSA contract are as follows: KMG, ENI, TOTAL, ExxonMobil, Shell (16.81 per cent), ConocoPhillips (8.4 per cent), Inpex (7.56 per cent).
North Caspian Project envisages the implementation of the exploration programme which was carried out from 1998-2004. All exploration wells gave positive results.
The preliminary oil reserves at the fields on the results of exploration and evaluation:
|
Field |
Geological reserves |
Recoverable reserves |
|
Kashagan |
4.850 mln tons of oil |
1.475.5 mln tons |
|
Kalamkas - sea |
159 mln tons of oil |
57 mln tons |
|
South-Western Kashagan |
20 mln tons of condensate |
6 mln tons |
|
Aktoty |
269 mln tons of condensate |
100 mln tons |
|
Kayran |
150 mln tons of oil |
56 mln tons |
|
Total on North Caspian Project |
5.448 mln tons |
1.694 mln tons |
Two new facilities: a gas processing and oil refining plants are planned to be built within the Kashagan project onshore, 35 kilometres away from the field. The excess sulphur dioxide gas which will remain after the main injection of volumes into the reservoir via a 35-kilometre pipeline will be transported for processing to the gas processing complex Bolashak.
The plant will process over 1.1 million tons of sulphur per year. The new refinery to be built within the project will be used when large amounts of oil are obtained. This processing complex will be located near the eastern part of the Bolashak plant. In total, it is planned to extract oil from 240 wells within the Kashagan project.
A new joint operating company, North Caspian Operating Company BV (NCOC) was established. In accordance with the new operating model, NCOC acts on behalf of seven companies and contractors as the operator evaluating and developing hydrocarbon assets of all 11 offshore blocks defined in NCPSA.
Status of the project
The production volume will go from 370,000-450,000 barrels per day at the first phase of developing the field. At the second phase it will increase to one million barrels per day and reach its peak of 1.5 million barrels per day in the third phase.
According to the Kazakh Oil and Gas Ministry, the expected start date of Kashagan commercial production falls on December 2012 until June 2013. The second phase is scheduled from 2018-2019.
Tengiz
The Tengiz field is one of the largest in the world. It is being developed by Tengizchevroil. Its shareholders are the KazMunayGas national company (20 per cent), Chevron Overseas (50 per cent), ExxonMobil (25 per cent) and LukArko (5 per cent).
The licensed area of the project includes the Tengiz field and smaller one Royal field with significant reserves.
Tengizchevroil produces several types of end products from raw materials. It is mainly stabilised oil. Dry gas, propane and butane are produced from associated gas. Moreover, sulphur, extracted from the hydrogen, is produced. The Sulphide content in the Tengiz oil is high.
Status of the project
As of 2010, the production volume reached 26 million tons. According to the Tengiz project, the so-called Project of future development is being developed with a possible increase in production from the current 26 million tons per annum to 36 million tons per year.
Karachaganak
Karachaganak has reserves of 1.2 billion tons of oil and condensate and over 1.35 trillion cubic metres of gas and is one of the largest oil and gas condensate fields in the world. On December 14, 2011 the Karachaganak consortium developing the field and the Kazakh Oil and Gas Ministry signed an agreement for Kazakhstan to join the Karachaganak project.
After nearly two years of negotiations Kazakhstan got its 10 per cent stake in the development. The agreement must run until June 30, 2012.
According to the BG Group, the share in the Karachaganak project after KMG's joining will be distributed as follows: BG - 29.25 per cent, Eni - 29.25 per cent, Chevron -18 per cent, LUKOIL - 13.5 per cent and KMG - 10 per cent.
The main part of the extracted volume of liquid hydrocarbons is exported through the CPC pipeline system. Small volumes of Karachaganak oil are sold through the Atyrau-Samara pipeline.
The unstable gas condensate is transported towards the Orenburg gas processing plant. The volumes of unstable condensate are supplied to the Kazakh low-tonnage oil refinery Condensate.
About 40 per cent of the extracted gas is pumped into the reservoir for the partial restoration of pressure in the reservoir. The remaining volumes of raw gas are delivered to the Orenburg gas processing plant for purification and further export through the Russian pipeline system.
The purified gas is then used on the field for its own use. According to the terms of the contract, a certain volume of purified gas for local use is eenvisaged to be supplied to the Burlin district in the West Kazakh region.
Status of the project
At present, nearly 45 percent of all gas and 16 percent of all liquid hydrocarbons produced in Kazakhstan are extracted in "Karachaganak". In 2010, the company extracted 133.7 million barrels of oil equivalent.
"N" project ("Nursultan")
'N' block is located in the Caspian Sea, 30 kilometers south-southwest of the city of Aktau. The area is about 8,100 square kilometers. A controlling share in the subsoil contract (51 percent) belongs to "KazMunayGas" national company, the remaining stake worth 49 percent is equally owned by ConocoPhillips and "Mubadala" companies. The limited liability partnership to be established in Kazakhstan will be the operator of the project. It will be owned by all project participants in proportion to their shares in the subsoil agreement.
Status of the project
The first exploration well (R-1) was drilled in the Rakushechnoye-Sea structure. The first confirmation of the presence of hydrocarbon resources was obtained. The exploration work is conducted in full compliance with the working program. The participants of the project expect them to continue successfully. According to the state bodies' estimations, the site is highly prospective for oil and gas.
"Satpayev" project
"Satpayev" site is located in the northern part of the North Caspian shelf. It includes three promising structures: Satpayev, Satpayev Eastern, Karina. The predicted recoverable resources in "Satpayev" site hit 253 million tons of standard fuel. "KazMunayGas" and ONGC Mittal Energy signed the agreement on the principles of cooperation on the "Satpayev" project. The agreement reflects the basic principles of future cooperation between the companies within the "Satpayev" site development project in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea. "Satpayev" block is being developed by KMG and the Indian national oil company "ONGC Videsh Limited" (OVL) with stakes of up to 35 percent.
Status of the project
"Satpayev" blocks are at the primary stage of exploration. Nevertheless, the significant volumes of hydrocarbon reserves are expected to be confirmed as a result of this work.
"Dead Kultuk" project
"Dead Kultuk" is located in the transition zone from shallow waters of the Caspian Sea to the territory of Komsomolets gulf and the surrounding areas on the east coast of the Caspian Sea. The area where this block is located, is one of most promising for oil and gas production in Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea. "KazMunayGas" and "Caspian Tristar" (a group of Kazakh investors) signed an agreement to transfer 50 percent right to use subsoil in the contract for exploration and production of "Dead Kultuk" block in the Caspian Sea.
Status of the project
The exploration operations are being conducted within the project.
"Pearl" project
"Pearl" is the oil and gas project in Kazakhstan. It is located in the Kazakh sector of the North Caspian Sea, 80 kilometers north-east of the port of Bautino, Mangistau region.
The field is located in Kazakhstan's offshore zone at a water depth from 5 to 7 meters. The four promising structures include Khazar-1, Khazar-2, Auezov, Naryn and Tulpar. Major prospects of oil and gas reserves of the structure are associated with the Jurassic sediments. According to Kazakh geologists, "Pearl" project is estimated at 100 million tons of oil. "KazMunayGas" (KMG) (25 percent), Shell (55 percent) and "Oman Oil" (20 percent) work on "Pearl" site.
Status of the project
The participants of the project prepare the concept of the field development. According to the results of exploratory work, oil and gas reserves at Khazar and Auezov structures were proved.
"Zhambyl" block
"Zhambyl" block is being developed by "KazMunayTeniz" ("subsidiary" of "KazMunayGas" national company) and the Korea National Oil Corporation (27 percent).
Status of the project
"Zhambyl" block is at the initial stage of exploration. Nevertheless, the significant volumes of hydrocarbon reserves are planned to be confirmed as a result of the conducted operations.
KMG will begin exploration on the "Abai" block with the Norwegian "Statoil" in the near future, a bit later - on the blocks "Khvalynskaya" and "Central" in partnership with Russian companies, "Gazprom" and "Lukoil". The issues with the Russian state bodies are still unresolved.
KMG's plans include the partnership on Shagala and Isatay blocks with Italy's Eni. "KazMunayGas" National Company discovered the fields on the blocks "Liman" and "Urikhtau". Their supplementary exploration is underway.