OREANDA-NEWS. January 31, 2011.Specialists of the Lebapnebitgazgozleg Oil and Gas Exploration Department of the Turkmengeologiya State Corporation got new evidence for huge reserves of natural fuel in the Southern Yoloten-Osman field. They discovered a commercial gas inflow while testing exploratory well 31 drilled by Turkmen prospectors. A gas inflow with the rate of up to one million of cubic metres a day comes up to the surface from the depth interval of 4,428-4,420 metres. It is not the first locality on the map of the giant field that insert amendments to its estimated reserves. Moreover, well 31 drilled between the largest gas fields, Minara and Southern Yoloten-Osman, has proven the geologists’ assumption on the existence of the one rich gas reservoir. Thus, the effective exploration work carried out by specialists of the Turkmengeologiya State Corporation enable to raise initial resource estimates up to 21 trillion cubic metres and enhance the reputation of Turkmenistan as one of the four gas powers of the world.

Babamurad Murad, Chief Geologist tells how profound production and scientific potential of the Turkmengeologiya State Corporation in geological survey, mineral deposit prospecting and exploration is used:

“For Turkmenistan’s huge resource potential based on proven and expected hydrocarbon reserves, the priority directions of the activity are oil and gas exploration and deposit prospecting. Exploration work in our country is conducted in accordance with the approven programme for oil and gas industry development for the period till 2030. This work includes estimation in the presence of oil and gas and most importantly increase of hydrocarbon reserves and construction of surface field facilities.

“Currently, the Turkmengeologiya State Corporation accelerates exploration of the Southern-Yoloten Osman fields and adjacent gas-bearing deposits including Yashlar, Minara, Western Yandakly, Dolyguyy, Egritegenli, Gazanly, Shabasan, Garakel. In this region Turkmen specialists are engaged in prospect and exploration drilling and 3-D seismic prospecting activity. They attribute the prospects of further growth in proven gas reserves in these areas to upper Jurassic subsalt carbonate deposits. The depth of the productive strata in these fields is 600-700 meters, and as the exploratory work continues the gas-bearing horizon extends dynamically comprising dozens of geological structures in the central part of the Murghab cavity.

“Based on the outcomes of the exploration work carried out in this region we can say with confidence that the area of proven reserves in the Southern Yoloten-Osman field occupies the area of 105 by 35 kilometres. Additional 3D seismic propsetcin and exploration drilling activities are needed to delineate the gas pool and finally estimate the potential of commercial gas reserves. Nevertheless, additional seismic survey and exploratory drilling carried out by specialists of the Turkmengeologiya State Corporation in the Southern Yoloten-Osman field along with the in-depth analysis of new data allowed carrying out the updated gas reserves estimate in the C1 + C2 category which make up about 21 trillion cubic metres at present.

“The work on development of other rich deposits is very effective that is illustrated by discoveries of gas and gas condensate deposits throughout the country. New deposits including Southern Gutlyyak and Geyazly were discovered in Ahal Velayat, Agarguyy and North Gazlydepe in Lebap Velayat, Dervezekem and Shabasan in Mary Velayat. Commercial gas inflows were discovered in the fields currently under exploration including Yashlar, Bagaja, Garajaovlak, Garadurun.

“The great prospects for enhancing further the huge potential of the domestic oil and gas sectors are rest upon expansion of mutually beneficial international cooperation in this sphere. Our subdivisions carry out exploration work in close collaboration with foreign service companies on a tender basis. The contract with the Chinese Chongqing company for drilling 12 wells 5000-5500 meters deep is nearing completion. The contract with the Azimut Energy Service-c company (Kazakhstan) for conducting the 2D and 3D seismic surveys in the northern part of the Southern Yoloten-Osman field is to be signed soon. The international tender for drilling three exploratory wells 5,000 meters deep in south-western Turkmenistan to find oil accumulations in the Miocene and Mesozoic sediments has been announced recently. The Turkmengeologiya State Corporation is planning to hold the international tender for conducting a 3D seismic survey in an area of 500 square kilometres in the northern part of Goturdepe and 2D seismic survey in the transit zone of the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea.

“We hope that many high-tech foreign companies will express the willingness to carry out oil and gas exploration activities under difficult mining and geological conditions of Turkmenistan on a mutually beneficial service basis that will enable to discover large hydrocarbon accumulations and recover oil and gas resources in our country.”