Second oil find gauged on Kazakh Block E

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 25 -- Max Petroleum PLC said its BOR-1 exploration well has discovered Borkyldakty field in Block E in the Precaspian basin in western Kazakhstan.

The well flowed 36° gravity oil at a stable commercial rate of 200 b/d, natural, with negligible gas and no water at 1,523-1,530.5 m from the lowermost of five Triassic reservoirs.

The company will set a pump for an extended production test, after which it will consider testing other reservoirs. It identified two confirmation well locations and tendered for a second shallow rig for appraisal and development wells.

Max Petroleum discovered Zhana Makat field in Block E and began production in August 2007. Zhana Makat was exceeding 2,100 b/d of oil in mid-February 2010 from 5.8 million bbl of proved and probable reserves. It completed the two most recent shallow development wells in late 2009.

Meanwhile, the company will drill the KZN-2 well on the North Kyzylzhar II West Block prospect, the third of 12 postsalt exploration prospects it plans to test in the blocks A&E license, which totals 12,455 sq km north of supergiant Tengiz field.

It is to plug and KZN-1 exploration well on the North Kyzylzhar II East Block prospect at a total depth of 1,408 m. Several Triassic sandstones had oil shows, but open-hole electric logs and pressure tests indicate residual oil rather than a potential economic accumulation.