Astana, Kazakhstan, Jan.13
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend:
The exploration in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea will be continued by Kazakhstan in 2015, the country's Energy Ministry told Trend.
"The exploration at Kalamkas-sea, Aktoty, Kairan and South-West Kashagan fields will continue in 2015," said the ministry.
Kashagan is the largest field developed in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea. OKIOC consortium was created to implement the project for its development.
Aside from Kashagan, another three oil-bearing structures - Kalamkas, Aktoty, Kairan - are also included in the contract territory of the consortium's drilling work under the production sharing agreement (PSA). These structures (together with Kashagan) consist of 11 offshore blocks covering an area of nearly 5,600 square kilometers.
North Caspian Sea Production Sharing Agreement (NCSPSA) envisaged the implementation of the exploration program that was carried out in 1998-2004. All the exploration wells showed positive results.
The recoverable reserve of the Aktoty field is equal to 100 million metric tons, Kairan - 56 million metric tons, South-West Kashagan- six million metric tons.
Later, North Caspian Operating Company BV (NCOC) operating company was created for the development of the project.
Kashagan is one of the largest fields discovered in the last 40 years. The project is also one of the most difficult engineering problems ever solved by international oil companies.
Currently, the participants of the North Caspian Sea project are: KMG Kashagan B.V., AGIP Caspian Sea B.V., CNPC Kazakhstan B.V., Exxon Mobil Kazakhstan Inc., INPEX North Caspian Sea Ltd., Shell Kazakhstan Development B.V., Total E&P Kazakhstan.
Production at Kashagan field was completely suspended after leaks were detected in the sulfur dioxide gas and oil pipelines of the field after starting the production in September 2013.
The ministry said that it is planned to resume the production at Kashagan in late 2016.
