Nostrum Oil & Gas, an independent oil and gas company engaging in the production, development and exploration of oil and gas in the pre-Caspian Basin, announces that it has commenced well No.301 re-entry drilling, the first of a two well re-entry drilling programme at its Chinarevskoye field in Kazakhstan, to be executed over 2023-2024. This is in line with the licence commitments and field development plan of the Company’s subsidiary Zhaikmunai LLP. The programme will leverage existing wellbores to reduce costs and carries a level of uncertainties and risks as the planned subsurface targets contain multiple exploration, appraisal, and development objectives.  

The well No.301 drilling and completion duration is estimated at 90 days with start-up expected mid-2024. After drilling well No.301 the rig will move to well No.41 for a sidetrack, with a 90 day drilling and completion duration and if successful, the well will be completed and brought on line in Q3 2024.

Chinarevskoye Field

Oil and gas operations in the Chinarevskoye field began during the Soviet era with the drilling of 9 wells. Hydrocarbons were subsequently discovered in the Biski and Afoninski reservoirs in 1991. The discovery of the Tournaisian reservoir followed in 1992, but drilling came to a halt in 1993 due to a lack of government funding.

In 1997, Nostrum Oil & Gas was granted the exploration and production license of the Chinarevskoye field and the associated grandfathered Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) and commenced exploration activities. Three of the wells that had been drilled during Soviet times were reactivated between 2000 and 2002. In 2003, Nostrum Oil and Gas discovered the Givetian (Mullinski) accumulation, and, in 2004, the Lower Permian reservoir was successfully tested. The Oil Treatment Facility (OTF) was completed in July 2006. In 2007, gas condensate was discovered in the Givetian (Adatovski) and Southern Tournaisian reservoirs and during the same year, crude oil was discovered in the Bashkirian formation.

In May 2008, commercial prospects were declared for the Mullinsky oil and gas condensate pool, the Ardatovsky gas condensate pool, the Famenian oil and gas condensate pool and the Biski-Afoninski oil and gas pool. New commercial discoveries were also made in the south and west regions of the Tournaisian reservoir.

Based on the Ryder Scott report dated 1 January 2018, the proved and probable reserves for the Chinarevskoye field amount to 358 mmboe (2016: 379 mmboe). Proven reserves amount to 124 mmboe (2016: 147 mmboe) and probable reserves to 234 mmboe (2016: 232 mmboe). Oil and condensate amount to 135 mmbbl of proven and probable reserves (2016: 144 mmbbl), LPG to 54 mmbbl (2016: 56 mmbbl) and gas to 168 mmboe (2016: 179 mmboe).

KeyFacts Energy: Nostrum Oil & Gas Kazakhstan country profile