Giant Karakuduk oil and gas field in western Kazakhstan’s Mangistau region produced 10.22 million bbl of oil and 5.3 bcf of gas in 2011 and produced its 10 millionth ton of oil in 2012, said Lukoil Overseas Holding Ltd.
Lukoil and Sinopec manage the field on a parity basis for the KarakudukMunai operating entity. Field employment is 520 people, 97% of whom are Kazakh citizens.
Discovered in 1972, Karakuduk’s commercial development started in 1998 under a 25-year subsoil use contract signed in 1995.
Karakuduk, in the North Caspian basin 365 km northeast of Aktau, produced its millionth ton of oil in 2003. Lukoil’s involvement dates to the end of 2005.
KarakudukMunai is applying numerous techniques in the field to maintain oil output at plateau level and increase the recovery factor. These include cluster and horizontal drilling, sidetracking, and hydraulic fracturing.
The field’s associated gas is gathered, processed, and used in the field or transported to industrial and residential customers, Lukoil said.
