Operations 2

The Company has been successful in establishing itself as an operating entity in the ROK and expects to continue with future growth through continued work there.

Prior to the end of the fourth quarter 2005, EZ#301 was drilled to a total depth of 4,846 metres and logged. The well was completed with the drilling rig before the rig was moved to the EZ#302 location. EZ#301 was matrix acidized and the two potentially productive hydrocarbon bearing zones were flow-tested. The lower zone (KT-2) was tested at 2,532 Bopd. The upper zone (KT-1) had difficulty maintaining an independent flow, so it was commingled with the lower zone and the well was tied-in to the Zhagabulak production facility. Subsequently, productions logs were ran and it was determined that the KT-1 was producing 100 Bopd. Well 301 was undergoing a government mandated pressure survey in November 2006, when a production logging tool and cable were lost in the hole. During the second quarter, the tool and wire were recovered and the well has resumed production.  On  November 3, 2008  a 24 hour test was conducted on EZ#301, with the following results: 560 Bo (barrels of oil), 17 Bw (barrels of water), 779 Mcfd (thousand cubic feet of gas per day), FTP (flowing tubing pressure) 338, SICP(shut-in casing pressure) 1,911, flow line pressure 121 psig  at a 12.0 mm choke.

The second exploration effort, EZ#302, was spud on December 25, 2005. Acidizing and testing of the well were performed following removal of the  drilling rig. The well showed indications of hydrocarbons while drilling and logging; however, the stimulation efforts failed to cause the well to flow naturally. In well 302 a workover has been prepared to isolate the KT-II and the lower portions of the KT-I that exhibit higher water saturations on the logs.  The third location, EZ#303 is about 5.2 km southwest of EZ#302.  EZ#303 spud on May 28, 2006. The well was permitted to a depth of 5,700 metres. EZ#303 reached a total depth of 4,630 metres in a sidetrack wellbore after the initial wellbore reached a depth of 5,430 metres, but was lost due to a drill string parting, while pulling out of the hole for logging. A total of 70 meters were perforated and acidized in both the KT-1 and KT-2 intervals. A combined test of both intervals yielded water with small amounts of oil, while the separate test on the KT-1 yielded water.  In well 303 a workover was written to isolate intervals and test separately to identify which perforations are producing water. 

The original producing well, EZ#213, drilled and completed during the Soviet period, was re-entered in November 2006 and perforations were added in the KT-1 reservoir. Due to different casing weights, problems were encountered with packer setting for the acid operation and consequently, only one-half of the productive zones were acidized. Despite the limits on the acidization, a significant improvement of daily production over the pre-workover rates was achieved.  On November 3, 2008  a 24 hour test was conducted on EZ#213, with the following results: 196 Bo (barrels of oil), 101 Bw (barrels of water), 274 Mcfd (thousand cubic feet of gas per day), FTP (flowing tubing pressure) 250, SICP(shut-in casing pressure) 1,720, flow line pressure 110 psig  at an 8.7 mm choke. The Company has initiated the development process for East Zhagabulak. The preparation of the official State Reserves Report for the development of the East Zhagabulak field is complete and was approved by the government on October 16, 2008. The preparation of the Technology Scheme, which outlines the detailed plan of development of the field, is also underway and is expected to be completed by the end of November, 2008. Supported by the completed and approved Reserve Report and Technology Scheme, the issue of a development contract for the field is expected before the end of the calendar year.

Ongoing petrophysical analyses of all wells penetrating the below salt reservoirs is being completed and correlations of these wells will aid in the identification of future drilling locations in the North Block. Identification and acquisition of well data within the extended territory is also be evaluated for inclusion into this process.

The Baktygaryn 3-D seismic program was completed in early November 2005. PGS-GIS, in Almaty, ROK was awarded the processing contract. Due to the presence of large salt bodies in the Baktygaryn Area, the 3-D data set was processed through PSDM (Pre-Stack Depth Migration) and interpretation of this data has been completed. PSTM (Pre-Stack Time Migration) analysis, for the above salt section has also been conducted. The acquisition of the 367 kilometre regional 2-D seismic survey covering the west and north areas of the North Block and tying into the Zhagabulak and Baktygaryn 3-D seismic surveys that was completed in March 2007 has also been processed and interpreted. The Baktygaryn 3-D program and the regional 2-D program were fully interpreted at the end of October 2006. The interpreted data from all new seismic data acquired and from the earlier reprocessed Soviet-era 2-D seismic is being combined to create a geological model and identify additional leads and prospects across the North Block territory.

The Baktygaryn Area presents drilling targets in both the below salt Lower Permian and Carboniferous sections and the above salt Upper Permian and Mesozoic sections with depths ranging from approximately 400 to 2,500 metres and provides a second tier of exploration to the Company’s drilling portfolio. These targets are recognized in the forms of channel sands, traps against the Kungurian salt ridges and underneath salt overhangs.

In addition to the ongoing interpretation work on the Baktygaryn 3-D and North Block regional 2-D seismic data and the identification of several post-salt drilling targets in the Triassic and Permian formations, further progress on the interpretation has revealed the presence of additional targets which are being added to the Company’s prospect and lead portfolio.

The first post-salt well identified from the Baktygaryn 3-D survey, Baktygaryn #703, was spud in March 2008.  It then reached total depth of 2,521 metres in June following which it was rig-released. Numerous drilling delays were experienced due to deviation problems in the salt and anhydrite section and mechanical failures of the drill string. The object of the vertical well was to secondarily, test Triassic sandstones downdip on a faulted structure and primarily, Upper Permian sandstones in a trap below a Permian salt diaper overhang. The well encountered excellent reservoir quality sandstones in the Triassic, but due to the downdip location of the well, no hydrocarbons were found. Seismic anomalies that supported the presence of a hydrocarbon trap in the Upper Permian, below a salt overhang, were proven by drilling to be inter-bedded claystones and anhydrite. No reservoirs in the Upper Permian were encountered and the well was plugged and abandoned.

The rig then moved to the Aransay #711 location, approximately 20 kilometres east, where it spud on July 11, 2008 and was rig-released on July 26, 2008. On reaching its total depth of 924 metres in the Upper Permian, the well encountered approximately 298 metres of reservoir quality rocks in the Triassic section. The Triassic was interpreted to be sandstone reservoirs trapped against a fault and was supported by a series of flat-based seismic reflectors believed to indicate a hydrocarbon/water interface. However, no shows were encountered while drilling and electric logging has confirmed the absence of hydrocarbons. Nevertheless, the presence of reservoir-quality sands of such thickness in the Triassic supports the interpretation that the Triassic is a viable primary target in the area in the presence of a proper trap and seal.

Aral has decided to release the drilling rig following plugging operations to further evaluate the portfolio of existing prospects identified in the block. Soviet-era seismic data interpretation, mapping and the associated shallow well drilling in the Itisay, Kozdesay and West Kozdesay areas, located in the southwestern portion of the North Block, yielded minor positive tests and shows of oil associated with the post-salt sediments of Jurassic, Triassic and Upper Permian ages. A review of this data has resulted in the identification of several prospects and leads ranging from 600 to 1,800 metres in trapping positions against Permian salt ridges and under-salt overhangs. Several lines from the Company’s 2006 2-D seismic program were shot across certain of these leads and prospects to verify this premise. Interpretation of most of the regional 2006 2-D seismic survey covering the west and north areas of the North Block has been completed. The interpreted data from all new seismic data acquired and from the earlier reprocessed Soviet-era 2-D seismic was combined to create a geological model and identify additional leads and prospects across the North Block territory. As a result of this work, some of the earlier leads and prospects in the post-salt sediments identified on vintage maps and seismic in three areas in the south western portion of the North Block, known as Itisay, Kozdesay and West Kozdesay have been confirmed and in addition several new leads and drillable prospects have been identified in trapping positions against Permian salt ridges and under salt overhangs.
Future seismic activity includes a third 3-D seismic acquisition, pending the results of the upcoming drilling campaign and further ongoing 2-D seismic interpretation.

The relatively shallow post salt targets at Baktygaryn offer a completely new series of opportunities for the Company.  The 3-D and 2-D seismic data have enabled several new prospects to be identified and the Company is now in the process of selecting additional drilling locations.

The East Zhagabulak field was shutdown on January 1, 2013 and resumed production during August 2013, until it was again shutdown at the close of December 2013, due to the expiration of the temporary gas flaring permit.

For production to re-commence, a gas flaring permit and an emissions permit must be approved by the appropriate regulatory bodies. The application process is bureaucratic and lengthy. The Project Report has been approved by the Geology Committee in Astana (the capitol city of the ROK). The Project Report is now under revision with the Ministry for Environmental Protection. Once approved here, it must be submitted to the Ministry of Oil and Gas and then to the Ministry of Environmental Protection for the approval of an emissions permit. The objective is to have the permit by the end of June 2014, allowing the production of oil to commence for the month of July. Thereafter, APC is permitted uninterrupted production of oil from the East Zhagabulak field.

Production is anticipated from the following wells: Well 301; Well 306; and Well 315. When these wells were shut-in, the daily respective production rates were as follows: Well 301 – 245 bopd; Well 306 –490 bopd; and Well 315 –560 bopd. APC was producing just under 1,300 bopd and similar flow rates are projected in July, when production is expected to recommence.

The East Zhagabulak field now has the status of being in the “development phase”. Consequently, the issue of lengthy approval processes for work to be undertaken is historical. Work which may result in the emission of gas continues to have to wait until gas flaring/emission permits are procured. Non-gas related work to be undertaken includes the pulling out of a pump from Well 213 and isolation work, in Well 308, to deal with the problem of cementing in the wellbore. As of now, the tender for this work in Wells 213 and 308 has not been published due to lack of funds.

With the exception of East Zhagabulak the remainder of the North Block is subject to an Exploration Contract which expires on December 29, 2014. Presently, no work is planned in this area pending Contract extension approval.

Preparatory work has been initiated on an Addendum to the Exploration Contract, by the drafting an addendum to the Project Report, which is being undertaken by NIPIneftegas (a third party consultant). This updated Project Report is expected during the second quarter 2014. There is a two month review period with a formal submission to the Development Committee meeting expected in July 2014.