Tethys mobilized a ZJ30 rig to the site and has now begun the drilling on the prospect, located approximately 50km to the north-west of the Doris oil discovery.
This well has a planned total depth of 4,000m and is targeting potential reservoirs at several stratigraphic levels from the Cretaceous to the Permo-Carboniferous.
The ZJ30 rig will drill to a depth of 300m where the 508mm casing is planned to be set after which the well will be completed using Tethys’ larger ZJ70 rig ‘Telesto’, which is currently drilling ahead in the Permo-Carboniferous sequence on the Dione exploration well AKD03.
The KBD01 well is the first deep exploration well to be drilled by the company on the Kul-Bas block which also contains several other attractive prospects.
The Kul-Bas contract area (which currently covers an area of 7,632sq km) surrounds the Akkulka contract area where the company has recently made the AKD01 ‘Doris’ oil discovery.
The original terms of the Kul-Bas exploration and production contract involved a six year exploration period with relinquishments and a 19 year production period, which could be extended.
Tethys recently reached an agreement with the Kazakh Ministry of Oil and Gas to extend the exploration term by a further two years (until December 2013).
